Governor Ayodele Fayose has urged local hunters in Ekiti to defend the people of the state against killer herdsmen wreaking havoc across the country.
He made this known in a tweet Wednesday after meeting the local hunters in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.
The governor, who was seen in military attire in a photo he took with the farmers, said he would never run to Abuja over the problem of the herdsmen, in an apparent reference to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state, who recently met President Buhari in the Presidential Villa, Abuja after herdsmen killed more than 50 people in his state.
Fayose added that he had instructed the hunters never to take laws into their hands but to ensure they defend Ekiti people against any marauding herdsmen.
He said, “On the herdsmen’s menace, I met with local hunters in Ekiti State today and charged them to protect the people since I won’t run to anyone in Abuja for help that is not available.
“They must not take laws into their hands, but they should defend Ekiti & its people.”
The governor also condemned the attack on Mopol 13 in Benue state which led to the death of two policemen and wondered if the perpetrators of such premeditated attacks could truly be herdsmen.
“Just now, we heard news of the herdsmen attacking the camp of Mobile policemen, Mopol 13 in Benue, killing two officers by slitting their throats. Do you call people who could invade the camp of mobile policemen in a guerilla manner & overpower armed Mopol mere Fulani herdsmen?
“What is happening in Benue and other middle-belt States is more than a strive between herdsmen and local farmers, it has gotten to the level of terrorism and ethnic cleansing. FG must act now,” he stated.