Ondo Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Monday insisted that herdsmen perpetrating crimes in the state are Fulanis as they all speak a common language.

Mr. Akeredolu who said he was worried about the insecurity rocking the southwest region said this in an interview with channels TV.

The governor had on January 18, issued a 7-day ultimatum to herdsmen to vacate the state’s forest reserves over allegations that they were responsible for incessant killings and kidnappings in some areas.

Mr. Akeredolu, while fielding questions on the identity of the killer herdsmen, said that it was discovered that they speak the same language which is Fulfulde, a language commonly spoken by Fulani people.

He said the herdsmen’ identity was disclosed after some kidnapped victims were released.

“ People were kidnapped. We’ve been debriefed by all of them, and we know people who took them,” the governor said.

“If you’re not licensed to be in the forest, then you’ll be taken to be doing illegal ventures. That’s where we stand.”

“All I know is that those perpetrating these crimes have a common language, and regardless of whether the herdsmen are Nigerians or foreigners, the police should fish them out,” he added.

The governor also took a swipe at cattle breeders group, Miyetti Allah, saying they had no business defending criminal herdsmen if they are not their members.

Mr. Akeredolu also challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to take actions as proof that he does not support criminality, just as he called on security agencies to arrest anyone moving around with arms without a license.

“What we expect from Mr. President is for him to come out and let Nigerians know that he does not support criminality,” he said.

On the intervention of Sunday Igboho in the fight against herdsmen in Ibarapa land, Mr. Akeredolu described the activist as a “child of circumstance.”

“Sunday Igboho is a child of circumstance. We must look at the circumstance that led to each of these interventions,” he said.

The governor noted that “There are things that we do at times that you have to know what led to them. Those circumstances might not be justifiable, might not be legal, but again when you look at it, you’ll know we are a child of circumstance.”