Anyone can live wherever they choose in Nigeria – El-Rufai

On Wednesday, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, admonished his colleagues all over Nigeria to avoid anarchy and uphold the rule of law as well as the right of all Nigerians to reside wherever they choose to live.

In a state broadcast, El-Rufai also urged his colleagues to order the arrest of host citizens who issue eviction notices to people of other tribes.

Oyo and Ondo States have been in the eye of the storm lately over security challenges and the moves to check the activities of some herdsmen said to have taken to crime.

A popular Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo, well known as Sunday Igboho, had issued a quit notice to herdsmen accused of sundry crimes in the Ibarapa area of Oyo and enforced same.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State had also said herdsmen must register with the state government or vacate the state’s forest reserves.

The two developments had raised dust in recent time with the Presidency saying that the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, ordered the arrest of Igboho. The Presidency also knocked Akeredolu for issuing a vacation order to herdsmen, reiterating that herders have the constitutional right to reside anywhere in Nigeria.

Speaking on Wednesday, the Kaduna State governor said indigenes of the states residing in other parts of the country had reached out to him to lament the hostilities of their host communities in recent times.

He said, “On behalf of the Government of Kaduna State, I call on all Nigerians living in our State to respect law and order and the rights of all citizens to live in peace and security wherever they reside or work. I appeal to my colleagues governing other States in our country to make similar statements, and disavow these attacks and massacres.
“We must avoid anarchy and vigorously promote the rule of law and the right of all citizens to life, liberty and livelihoods wherever they choose to reside. Elected and appointed public leaders across the country must act on their constitutional obligations to protect all citizens, uphold order, and contribute to a climate for peaceful resolution of all issues.