Edo LG Chairman Insists on 14-day Ultimatum to Herdsmen to Leave Orhionmwon LGA

 

The Chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, Hon. Sylvester Okoro, on Wednesday, reiterated his position on his 14-day ultimatum issued to herdsmen to leave his community, saying the lives and safety of his people cannot be undermined.

Okoro, who spoke shortly after a meeting called at the instance of the Edo State Commissioner of Police, which was presided over by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ayodeji Faniyan, said: "The council cannot be intimidated into submitting the lives of Orhionmwon residents on the altar of patronage as he officially swore to protect the lives and property of the people."

The council boss, while acknowledging pleas from the Chambers of  Olayiwola Afolabi on the need to be cooperative in ensuring a holistic documentation of genuine herders, lamented the role of the police in putting the cart before the horse.

However, Okoro put DCP Faniyan on notice against his position that not even the state governor can order the vacation of herdsmen from a locality let alone a local government council chairman, adding that such statement clearly shows the DCP's bias in favour of over 15 mobilised leaders of the herdsmen who hitherto never honoured invitation of security meetings at the council.

Continuing, he said: "The position of the council is unambiguous. We have given the herdsmen two weeks to vacate the local government area to enable us carry out a proper documentation of the genuine herdsmen. They approached us for one week extension which has elapsed."

Okoro maintained that the refusal of the leadership of the herdsmen and the open rejection by community leaders in Orhionmwon LGA is a match towards anarchy which the police are expected to prevent and not act otherwise.

He promised that further actions towards making sure that the steps taken by the council is implemented to the letter, including involvement of the state government would be followed.