Fish out bad eggs among Fulani, Ooni tells Buhari.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Thursday called for the tightening of security in the South-West by the Federal Government amid the increasing attacks by herdsmen on communities in the geopolitical zone lately. He noted that while not all Fulani herdsmen were involved in the attacks, it was the wish of Yoruba monarchs and their subjects that the Federal Government in collaboration with local communities, should fish out the “bad eggs” among the herdsmen. The Ooni stated that the escalating security challenges in the country had led to some persons and groups beating the drums of war. However, he clarified that the South-West was not ready to go to war with any part of the country. The paramount ruler disclosed that it was the desire of the Yoruba to see improved security over lives and property, a responsibility he said was not impossible for the Federal Government to undertake. The Ooni, who spoke with State House Correspondents after he held a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said he came to the State House on behalf of royal fathers in the South-West to make a case for improved security. His visit came just a week after the late Mrs Funke Olakunri, the daughter of the Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, was killed by suspected herdsmen along the Kajola-Ore Road in Ondo State.
Speaking on whether he thought the Fulani were being stigmatised , the Yoruba paramount ruler said, “Well, it is not about stigmatisation; it is about separating the wheat from the chaff.
“A lot of them are mixed up with the good ones. We are not saying all the Fulani are bad. It is not only about the Fulani, it is not only about them; it is about the bad miscreants that are even hiding under the name of the Fulani.
“We want to try as much as possible to work with the government right now. They have all the security apparatus and they are meant to defend us; that is what we are looking up to now. We have to stand up and meet with Mr President and he has given us a listening ear and you (will) see a lot of result going forward.”
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