Governor Kayode Fayemi, the Ekiti State Governor has said that it is not impossible that elements that are not Nigerian are involved in the herder clashes with farmers in Nigeria.
Fayemi who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governor Forum urged the importance of ensuring that ECOWAS protocols are comprehensively implemented with regards to the crisis.
Governor Fayemi disclosed this in an interview with Channels TV on Sunday evening.
“I believe some people are looking at other perspectives to explain what is going on in many parts of Nigeria.
“There can be no doubt that we have elements from the ISWAP terrorist group that are proliferating all over Nigeria and there is no question that we have the porosity of our borders to deal with,” Fayemi said.
Fayemi said that it is not impossible that non-Nigerian state actors are involved in the crisis and revealed that the FG is working to ensure ECOWAS protocols on freedom of movement are properly implemented.
“It is not impossible that elements that are not Nigerian are involved in this, which was why the NGF and NEC also emphasized the importance of ensuring that ECOWAS protocols are comprehensively implemented with regards to its trans-human protocols and with regards to its protocol on free movements of goods and people across the various countries in the ECOWAS sub-region,” he said.
He revealed that some bandits have been apprehended and that while some are clearly Nigerians, there are also some who are not Nigerians and spoke languages that are not Nigerian.
“What is important is that Nigerians across the country want those apprehended for crimes to be swiftly prosecuted. It is the seeming delay in ensuring access to Justice that contributes to the feeling that some people consider themselves above the law,” Fayemi added.
What you should know
- Recall Tropics Nigeria reported that the National Economic Council (NEC) said that State Governments have statutory jurisdiction over forest reserves and will seek federal support for efforts to eradicate forest-based crime.
- The Council added that the National Livestock Transformation Plan, as a comprehensive strategy, will address the farmer-herder conflict.
