•••DIRECTS TRADITIONAL RULERS TO ENGAGE HUNTERS TO CHASE THEM OUT OF FORESTS
The Acting Governor of Edo State State, Mr Philip Shuaibu, has directed traditional rulers in the state to engage local hunters and vigilantes to flush out criminal herdsmen from all forests of the state.
The State Government was responding to the worsening spate of insecurity and the murder of an abducted Catholic priest by kidnappers believed to be herdsmen in the state.
The kidnappers using the forests as a their base killed the Priest of St Michael Catholic church, lkhabigbo, Etsako West Local Government area of Edo State, Rev Father Christopher Odia, on June 26, 2022.
The State Government directed heads of the eighteen local government councils in the state to ensure the provision of monthly stipends and other requisite resources for the vigilante and hunters to enable them to carry out the assignment of flushing the herdsmen from the forests.
The Government warned that traditional rules would be held accountable to such acts of terrorism and kidnapping in their domains.
“That everybody currently residing in any forest in Edo State in the guise of camping should vacate such areas with immediate effect.
“The acting Governor has mandated all acting LGC heads to use all the security apparatus including the police, army, Vigilante groups, hunters and others to forcibly remove any groups or individuals within the next ten days.
“That henceforth, any traditional ruler and village head who have collected money from any herdsmen therefore permitting any form of camping or grazing in any Edo State forest should refund such money and ask the herdsmen to leave with immediate effect.
“The resolution also said that after ten days from the day of the meeting, traditional rulers would be held responsible for kidnappings in their areas.”