Reno Omokri, a former social media aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, says it is ironic that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), continues to openly defend the rights of unruly herdsmen while innocent pig farmers and alcohol sellers are harassed in the North.

Omokri said this while reacting to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who had criticised the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, for asking herdsmen to vacate forest reserves within seven days.

Shehu in a statement had argued that Nigerians all over the country had a right to stay wherever they wished.

Reacting, however, Omokri tweeted, “Igbo men go to Kano, rent or build shops, yet Kano doesn’t allow them to sell alcohol. But herdsmen come from within and outside Nigeria, take over Ondo forests, without paying rent, and the Ondo government can’t regulate them? If there is no equality perhaps we go our separate ways.

“You can’t stop Igbo from selling alcohol in Kano, and ban Christians from rearing pork in Zamfara, but insist that herdsmen can take over Ondo forests as if it is conquered territory. In case you did not receive the memo, the Usman Dan Fodio jihad ended in 1804. This is 2021!

“Nasir el-Rufai can demolish the alleged Kaduna Sex Party hotel and Buhari and Garba Shehu kept quiet, they should also keep quiet while Ondo regulates unregistered herdsmen in her forests. At least Rotimi Akeredolu is not demolishing the forest. Is el-rufai more equal than Akeredolu?”