By Ayodele Oni
A soco-political group, Oodua Action Movement (OAM) has urged governors and leaders in South West to emulate the move by the Ondo state Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN and Chief Sunday Igboho of Oyo state to prevent Fulani herders from taking over Yoruba land.
The Global Coordinator of the group, Otunba Demola Edward, who made the plea in Akure at the weekend, pointed out that flushing out the criminal herdsmen from the forest reserves in the region would curb the senseless killings, kidnapping and banditry.
Akeredolu and Sunday Igboho had banned grazing and given an ultimatum to herders in the two states to vacate forest reserves
The OAM Coordinator lamented that the porous security situation in the country is an indication of a failed government saying that regional autonomy is the only solution.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to begin the process for an autonomous Yoruba nation as a federating unit in Nigeria.
Edward however described the actions by Akeredolu and as steps in the right direction which would bring relative peace in Yoruba land.
“The Yoruba Nation should not tolerate any criminality in its cities, villages, highways, farmlands, or forests. Those who attack or kidnap people or kill them are plain criminals and they should show the way out of the region.
“It is crystal clear that we can not continue to live in fear in our own region, Something needed to be done which we believe have started in Ondo and Oyo states.
“We therefore call on all security agents in South West and well meaning individuals to rise up and hold the bull by the horns to fight this darkness that is enveloping our region”, Edward added.
