Following an escalated tension in Ibaraba axis of Oyo, where Mr Sunday Igboho allegedly gave Fulani herdsmen an ultimatum to leave the state, Governor Seyi Makinde on Friday said his government would not allow anyone to harass anyone carrying out legitimate businesses in the state.
He made the comment when he received the new police commissioner, Mrs Ngozi Onadeko on courtesy call in his office.
A video, which had gone viral on social media, showed Mr Igboho swearing to drive out Fulani herdsmen from the entire Yorubaland for causing insecurity and banditry.
The governor however said his government and security agencies would only need to wage a war against criminal elements, irrespective of their tribes, religions, or creed.
According to Makinde, his administration would not allow anyone to threaten the peace of the state by acting unlawfully as well as say things that are alien to the Nigerian constitution.
“For people stoking ethnic tension, they are criminals and once you get them, they should be arrested and treated like common criminals,” Makinde said.
“For this administration, the major pillar for us is security, because we know that all the good economic plans we have won’t be possible in an atmosphere of chaos and insecurity.
“So, when people say things that are neither lawful nor within the spirit of Nigeria’s Constitution, it is not acceptable here. And they cannot hide under the guise of protecting Yoruba’s interest to perpetuate chaos in the state.
“I am sure that since you came in, you must have heard about some things happening at Ibarapa axis of the state. I will still say it here that we are not after Hausa-Fulani. We are after criminals.
“We are after hoodlums and bandits irrespective of their tribe, religion, or creed. Those are the people we are after. If you look into the records, when we had the armed robbery incident at Okeho in Kajola local government area of the state, some people were killed, some were arrested and we found out that they were from Ebira, from Kogi State. So, we want to go after the criminals – whether they are Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani or whomever they are,” the governor said.
