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Bandits, not Fulani herders, are the enemies – Makinde
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said the enemies of the state are bandits and kidnappers, and not herders seeking pasture for their flock.
In a broadcast on Wednesday, Makinde said his government would not tolerate any assault on residents of the state under any guise.
He added that the state would not accept issuance of ultimatums for any group of persons to leave Oyo, adding that it is against the constitutional right that guarantees freedom of movement.
He was speaking in relation to a threat by a group of Oodua People’s Congress headed by Sunday Igboho to the Fulani herdsmen in Oyo to vacate the area or be prepared for forceful ejection.
Makinde said, “We cannot overlook the fact that there have indeed been instances that cause concern. The fragile peace between the herdsmen and farmers in Oke Ogun is being threatened.”
“Individuals who are not authorised are going around chasing people from their homes and causing mayhem. This assault on residents of Oyo State is not the way to further the Yoruba cause.
“Let me state that we shall not sit back and watch anyone make any law-abiding resident of Oyo state feel unsafe in their homes, farms, or business places. We are aware of some people circulating flyers and giving people ultimatums to leave their land. This is totally unacceptable and will not be condoned.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which I swore to defend and protect, guarantees freedom of movement in Section 41(1), such that citizens are free to reside in any part of the country without fear. We are determined to preserve that right in Oyo State.
“I must reiterate that we will not hesitate to take appropriate action against any individual who tries to disrupt the peace in Oyo state. Our administration is taking all necessary steps to protect the good people of Oyo state from harassment, thuggery and banditry. We believe we have the situation under control.
“It is time for us to come together and put the interests of our state first. We have a common enemy. That enemy is not the Hausa-Fulani who is looking for pasture for his flock. It is not the farmer who just wants to grow food to sell in the market or to feed his family. Our enemies are the hoodlums, cultists, armed robbers, kidnappers and bandits. These people live among us.”
The governor also called on traditional rulers in the state not to be part of any plan to disrupt the peaceful coexistence of residents.
He added that with collective efforts, the state can secure the environment that had contributed to the growth of its economy.
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El-Rufai accuses Tinubu govt of Yoruba agenda, Reno Omokri reacts
El-Rufai accuses Tinubu govt of Yoruba agenda, Reno Omokri reacts
Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide, has refuted allegations by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, suggesting that President Bola Tinubu is advancing a “Yorubacentric” agenda in his appointments within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the financial sector.
In a detailed analysis shared on social media, Omokri dissected the composition of key federal appointments, particularly within the NNPCL, to debunk claims of ethnic favouritism.
Chief Pius Akinyelure (Non-Executive Board Chairman): Southwest
Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari (Group CEO): Northeast
Adedapo Segun (Chief Financial Officer): Southwest
Mr. Ledum Mitee (Non-Executive Director): South-South
Mr. Musa Tumsa (Non-Executive Director): Northeast
Mr. Ghali Muhammad (Non-Executive Director): North-Central
Prof. Mustapha Aliyu (Non-Executive Director): Northwest
Mr. David Ogbodo (Non-Executive Director): Southeast
Ms. Eunice Thomas (Non-Executive Director): South-South
Omokri emphasized that only two board members hail from the Southwest, contrary to claims of ethnic dominance.
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He also reviewed executive oversight at the cabinet level:
Heineken Lokpobiri (Minister of State for Petroleum Resources – Oil): South-South
Ekperikpe Ekpo (Minister of State for Petroleum Resources – Gas): South-South
Ambassador Nicholas Agbo Ella (Permanent Secretary, Petroleum Resources): North-Central
According to Omokri, the South-South enjoys the most significant representation, both at the board and executive levels.
Omokri also addressed leadership within the top revenue-generating agencies in Nigeria:
NNPCL: Mele Kyari (Northeast)
Nigerian Ports Authority: Abubakar Dantsoho (Northeast)
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria: Olubunmi Oluwaseun Kuku (Southwest)
Nigerian Communications Commission: Aminu Maida (Northwest)
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency: Dayo Mobereola (Southwest)
Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation: Bello Hassan (Northwest)
He noted that out of these six agencies, only two are led by individuals from the Southwest.
Omokri accused El-Rufai of engaging in “ethnic baiting” and spreading misinformation. He warned that such claims if left unchallenged, could create unnecessary tensions and destabilize market confidence.
“Flowing from the above, where is the Yorubanisation or Yorubacentricity?” Omokri queried.
El-Rufai accuses Tinubu govt of Yoruba agenda, Reno Omokri reacts
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Farotimi appreciates Nigerians, says his release was due to public outcry
Farotimi appreciates Nigerians, says his release was due to public outcry
Human rights advocate Dele Farotimi was overcome with emotion as he reflected on the collective voice of Nigerians that he said saved his life from detention.
Speaking on Sunday via YouTube and spreading on X, Farotimi attributed his freedom to the unflinching support of Nigerians who stood by him during his experience.
“We stopped being human because we became Nigerians. They divided us, and we fell for it.
“Because you wouldn’t see me as a Yoruba man, you spoke for me. Because you wouldn’t see me as a Christian, you spoke for me. Nigeria couldn’t happen to me because you spoke,” Farotimi said.
He emphasised the power of unity in the face of oppression, saying, “You found your voices. I became you. And in our collective, you couldn’t be silenced.”
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Farotimi was released after being arrested on December 3 by police from the Ekiti State Police Command on accusations of defamation and cyberbullying.
The arrest followed claims made by noted legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Aare Afe Babalola, who accused Farotimi of defaming him in a 116-page book titled Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.
According to the police, the book claimed that Babalola and other Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) had corrupted Supreme Court Justices.
These allegations led to Farotimi’s arraignment in an Ekiti State Magistrate Court, followed by 12 further charges filed by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, at an Ekiti Federal High Court on December 6.
On December 21, the magistrate court granted Farotimi bail with strict restrictions, including a N30 million bond, two sureties (one of whom must possess property), forfeiture of his passport, and a prohibition on media interviews following his release.
Farotimi maintained his innocence, telling journalists that he had never lied against anyone.
“It is not ever an easy journey when you are fighting evil. Some years back, before I started this work, God told me that the truth is enough. It is the only weapon with which you can slay the monster called Nigeria,” he stated.
He added, “In my war against the evil empire that we all live in, I have never lied against anyone. If I don’t know, I will say I don’t know.”
Farotimi appreciates Nigerians, says his release was due to public outcry
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Wike replies Odili: You’ve reduced yourself to ridiculous level
Wike replies Odili: You’ve reduced yourself to ridiculous level
Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike has knocked a former Governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili over a recent remark against his principal.
News Direct reports that Odili had during a Christmas ballad organized by himself in honour of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his family, said that the incumbent Governor courageously stopped Wike from making Rivers State his private estate.
According to Odili, Fubara summoned an unusual fortitude to confront the quest by the FCT Minister to capture the state through ferocious but unnecessary political war.
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Reacting, Olayinka in a post on his official X handle, described Odili’s comment as disappointing, stating that the former governor, who is expected to act as an elder statesman, has reduced himself to a ridiculous level.
Olayinka said in the coming days, Odili would get a deserved response from the FCT Minister.
“I Read the comments made by the former Governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, today, and I can’t but be disappointed that someone who should be acting like an elder statesman can reduce himself to such ridiculous level of partisanship.
“Well, he will get his deserved response from the FCT Minister in due course”, Olayinka wrote.
Wike replies Odili: You’ve reduced yourself to ridiculous level
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