NewStats: 3,263,937 , 8,181,964 topics. Date: Sunday, 08 June 2025 at 08:46 PM 4k1052

Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, on Wednesday, threw their weight behind Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, insisting the ultimatum he gave uned herders to vacate forest reserves in the state was not unconstitutional.

In separate interviews with Vanguard, the senior lawyers maintained that the 1999 Constitution, as amended, empowered the governor as Chief Security Officer, CSO, of his state, to take any action that is geared towards the protection of lives and properties in the state.

The Presidency had in a statement that was issued by Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, tackled governor Akeredolu, contending that he lacked the powers to issue such ultimatum to herders in the state.

Responding to the position of the Presidency, a constitutional lawyer, Mr. Mohammed Albeny, SAN, said: “Even though the constitution permits every Nigerian to move or reside in any part of the country.

“However, if a migrant becomes violent or engages in acts of terrorism as some of the herdsmen have done, the governor, being the Chief Security Officer of the State, has the power to ask them to leave.

“They can only stay so far as they are peaceful and comply with the laws of the state. The governor has every power to protect his people, both the indigenes and every other person that is resident in his state.

“The Presidency should understand that Nigeria is a federation and there are powers given to the governor to protect the people and properties of the state from terrorists.

“The Presidency should realize that the governor of Ondo state is a veteran lawyer and before he issued that statement, he was well aware of the constitutional angles. So far as I am concerned, he has the power to issue the directive and the power was properly exercised.

“The governor does not owe terrorists the duty of care under our laws. These people are armed and are constantly terrorising indigenes of the state. Most of them are not even Nigerians.
“Even if they are Nigerians, whereas the Federal Government prohibited citizens from carrying arms in self-defence, herders carry arms about. Even Amotekun that is a security outfit were not encouraged to carry arms, yet herders carry arms about. Nobody will tolerate that and no law will protect such people.

“All state governors have the power to expel armed herdsmen from their states because they commit terrorist acts. Every resident of any state must subject to the law of the state.

“What the Ondo state government has done is brave and courageous. I want all other Southern governors to emulate him by asking violent terrorist groups to exit their state”.
Likewise, another SAN, Mr Paul Ananaba, said: “There is freedom of movement in Nigeria, but that freedom is not absolute. The Constitution provides for derogation of constitutional rights, for the public good.

“I do not see what is wrong with the governor taking steps to protect citizens in his state. He did not say so outside Ondo.

“FG indeed ought to have ed the governor rather than antagonising him. This is because the duty of government is to protect lives and properties.

“The governor is working within the constitutional provision that you can derogate peoples freedom in the public interest.
“Section 45 of the 1999 Constitution empowers the governor to restrict the right of movement and association to the extent of protecting the right and freedom of other persons.

“Nobody is in doubt that those herdsmen are killing, kidnapping and attacking people in the forest. I do not see why the state government should not take steps. Ideally, the FG should have sent security agents to flush out those people”, he added.

On his part, Mr. Dayo Akinlaja, SAN, said: “The governor is the Chief Security Officer of the state and he has the responsibility and binding duty to ensure that the state is secured.
“If he found it expedient that violent herders should leave the state, no law prohibits him from taking the action.
“To my understanding, the idea of asking them to come out of the forest is to ensure that the innocent ones that are doing legitimate business, are separated from the violent ones that take cover in the forests.

“I do not see anything the governor has done that is beyond his powers. The whole idea is to ensure that the forests are kept safe.
“If the presidency is doing what is expected of it, I do not see why there will be a need to flush the forests.

“We are talking about security and it should be the business of every government. “If the presidency made everywhere secured, the directive from the governor would not have been issued.
“There is nothing untoward or illegal in what the Ondo governor has done. He is not asking them to vacate the whole state, but to come out of the forest.

“The whole idea is to smoke out those that are perpetrating evil from the forest. I see nothing wrong or unconstitutional about the governor’s directive”, Akinlaja, SAN, argued.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/01/ultimatum-to-herders-sans-back-akeredolu-insist-action-not-unconstitutional/

ok

Everyone knows what is right

Akeredolu, you are the real niggar and shame to bastard seyi makinde that can't act and defend his people from those fulani herdsmen and also want to arrest sunday igboho that want to liberate his people from blood sucking fulani
Real yoruba sons and daughters you akeredolu

we say no to fulani killing on our land

You are not an indegene of my state, you keep killing innocent souls, terrorising my state. if i has the power to send u out. I will definitely do it... go back to kastina and do your rubbish. No body will disturb, the terrorists defender will you with hilux. Awon Oloriburuku

Based on what the constitution says about freedom to reside whereever I like as a Nigerian citizen I am henceforth going to build my house for that bush near the villa. Folks abi una no go me?

Difference between the Learned south and illiterate North

They were Only men't to Head Cows Not sombodeys town, city, village or communities..
This Is How Boko Boys Believes.

It is an obvious secret that the Presidency is behind the vast level of insecurity in Nigeria just as it is an obvious secret that helinues is a terrorist sympathizer and confusionist.

May I experience the disintegration of Nigeria in my lifetime, Amen.

Pray the same if you truly want to be free from the shackles of the Fulanis.

it is now very clear and obvious that those advising the presidency are either illiterates or they've been blinded by their evil agendas.
...imagine garba shehu trying to school a whole SAN who is also an elected governor on constitutional matters.

richiemcgold:
it is now very clear and obvious that those advising the presidency are either illiterates or they've been blinded by their evil agendas.
...imagine garba shehu trying to school a whole SAN who is also an elected governor on constitutional matters.

Naso we see am o

Today is my birthday oo.. Pls show me love..

Protecting your people and your land should be the greatest plan of any governor....

I am with Akeredolu on this. They can't come into a state and do anyhow then expect the CSO of the state to watch them without saying anything.

I was so appalled seeing the presidency respond in a swift manner yet the same presidency will rather not say a word when herdsmen kill people.

Akeredolu ride on. Let them if they want to do business. That way the real cattle rearers will stay while the killers will find their way back to daura or wherever they came from. If anything happens it will be easier to trace from those that are ed.

Enough of these herdsmen doing anyhow and getting away with it.

Imagine a journalist telling a SAN what is constitutionally right

As Yoruba man, I don't care about the president anymore, let's just fuckin break this country

edo3:
Today is my birthday oo.. Pls show me love..

Hbd bro

Are people supposed to live in forest reserves

How much did the Fulanis pay to graze and live in the forest

The forest reserves belong to the Ondo state government hence the herders are tresers that must leave!

HALF NIGERIAN WITH BETTER SENSE HALF NIGERIAN WITH NO SENSE

SANS... Well done, Sirs!

I tot as much

Ok

This is really getting interesting.

I wish we have a supreme court system like that of USA to listen to this sort of lacuna/however the law jargon is said.

I think Bubu will be staring at his Nepa bill while fuming at them.

Please wake me up when the ultimatum expires and guns start blazing.

It's obvious Buhari s armed herdsmen and in saner climes, an impeachment process would have started as a despot has been spotted.

I think the president should remove this Akeredolu


His wife ( an Igbo )woman is controlling him against the Fulani


The wife's family lost a lot during the civil war, hence the projected hatred

Even if Akeredolu makes a Uturn we d youths won't back out coz this is our heritage, our land our farms, our possession.

That is what you get when you are too much in a haste to respond to issues. Garba Shewu [don't even know the spelling of his names] was too much in a hurry; a man who doesn't think before he talks will always get what he wants--bashing. I f the Fulanis can live anywhere they like according to Shewu, it means I can live in Aso Rock since I am also a Nigerian.

Enwe ohia

tungamaje:
Based on what the constitution says about freedom to reside whereever I like as a Nigerian citizen I am henceforth going to build my house for that bush near the villa. Folks abi una no go me?

I'm in full of your action.