Femi Adesina, media and publicity adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, has admitted that the herdsmen crisis in Nigeria has escalated in President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure. 

Mr. Adesina, on Monday, while fielding questions from Arise TV “unreported achievements” of Buhari’s regime. 

When asked about the herdsmen crisis in the South-West, Mr. Adesina said, “It has always been there. The degree may have escalated more than it was in the past. 

“But it has always been there. We don’t need to carry on like it’s a new development that came with this administration.” 

He also noted that a recent meeting held by South-West governors with herders in the region helped to douse rising tensions in Ondo and Oyo. 

There were reported increases in Ondo and Oyo’s criminal activities allegedly perpetrated by herdsmen, leading Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to order the herders to vacate Ondo’s forest reserves.  

On Sunday, there were reports of two villages in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo taken over by herdsmen, leading Governor Seyi Makinde to hold an overnight meeting with various concerned parties in the state. 

Meanwhile, the Oodua Peoples Congress has called on South-East governors to prevent fleeing killer herdsmen from entering their region.