Chairman of the South West Governors Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu, has described the statement credited to his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed, that Nigerians don’t need his permission to live in forests reserve as “provoking and insensitive.

Akeredolu has therefore asked Mohammed “not to set Nigeria on fire with his statements.

Recall that Akeredolu had directed herdsmen in the state government forest reserve in Ondo state to vacate or register with the state following the spate of kidnappings, killings, rape and other criminal activities.

However, reacting to Akeredolu directive, the Bauchi governor fired back by saying that the chairman of the south west governors forum does not have the right to issue a vacation notice to herders in the state.

According to Mohammed “Land is in the hands of the state and federal governments in trust but Nigerians don’t need the permission of governors or the federal government to settle everywhere.

He added that “You don’t need the permission of the governor of Bauchi or the governor of Ondo to be in the forests of Ondo if you choose to live in the forests because under Section 41 of the constitution, you are free to settle anywhere.”

Reacting to Mohammed through his Special Assistant to the Governor (New Media) Olabode Richard Olatunde, governor Akeredolu called on Nigerians to disregard Mohammed’s comments.

Akeredolu said his position ” is not to engage or confront anyone who has the mindset of a crisis entrepreneur or war monger.

“Very provoking and insensitive as the statement appears, we can only err on the side of caution by advising Governor Bala Mohammed not set Nigeria on fire by his thoughts that are highly destructive and undermining national cohesion.”

“Nigerians should ignore him and rather focus on those issues that can bring about peace and engender unity.”

Akeredolu added that, ”He is stronger war monger than killers and criminals under any guise and without any colouration.

Vanguard News