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.
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