The National President of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) Alhaji Muhammadu Kiruwa has said that Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, is in order to request that the Fulani herdsmen in the State Forest be expelled or get registered with the Government.
The leader of the Cattle Rearers, who have turned murderous expressed support for the Governor’s order Monday when he met with some Governors in Akure.
The Governors met under the umbrella of Nigeria’s Governors Forum.
The leader of the Cattle Herders, therefore, directed his people to obey the order of the Governor and get registered with the State Government.
He also issued a directive to the Fulani people to desist from herding their cattle during the night and to, also, stop the use of the underaged to shepherd their cattle.
It is not clear how these two directives would be obeyed as the herders operate entirely in the forest without the possibility of being supervised by any agency.
The Myetti Allah leader also warned his members from grazing on peoples’ farms in order to end the confrontations between farmers and the herders.
Akeredolu had given them seven days to quit the Forest Reserves, or leave the state entirely.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state’s reported alliance with former governor of Lagos state and APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the 2023 presidential election has raised the stake in the contest for the highest office in the country to a feverish level. The controversial son of the Kaduna helmsman, Bashir El Rufai mentioned the idea on his twitter page on last Tuesday. ”Southwest & Northwest. A sacrosanct alliance for the betterment of Nigeria” Bashir wrote, displaying the picture of Tinubu and his father holding hands, to reinforce his point.
Whatever has brought the political foes together, those planning to take over the presidency in two years time, are surely, not leaving anything to chance, including forming alliances to achieve their aim,
The incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari departs power in two years time after the expiration of his terms as Nigeria’s leader, which gave politicians in the country, opportunity to express their interest in the top job. Not a few politicians from the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC and Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP have openly expressed their interest in the top job in the last few months, while others have engaged their cronies to do the campaign for them.
The list of the presidential hopefuls and their deputies is endless, but those that have shown interest, so far, include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Rotimi Amaechi. Others are Governors Aminu Tambuwal, Yahaya Bello and Dave Umahi. Umahi/ Bello
The controversial Kogi helmsman is the latest politician to throw his hats in the ring. He’s getting attention for the wrong reasons including his comment that COVID 19 vaccine was meant to kill Nigerians, that however has not stopped his supporters from uging him to take a shot at the presidency. Bello initially denied interest in the presidency, but he suddenly made a u-turn after some political groups said they will ensure that he contested the most powerful office in the country. Some youths in the state, under the aegis of GYB2PYB, last week, marched on Kogi state Liaison Office in Abuja, where they presented letter of request to Governor Bello asking him to contest. The group’s National Coordinator Oladele John Nihi, gave the governor 14 ultimatum to declare his interest.
In spite of this, the Kogi helmsman is seen as an unserious candidate on the back of agitation that power must return to the south. He could be positioning himself as a running mate to a southern candidate, watchers of events say. In that case, some political activists say he might have decided to be a running mate to Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state, who last year left the PDP for the ruling APC to achieve his presidential election.
Atiku/ Obi Since political and traditional leaders from the south east started agitating for power shift to the zone, the noise about former Governor Obi, running with the former vice president has somehow died down. While the former Governor of Anambra state is said to have agreed to be Atiku’s running mate, sources close to him told the magazine that he’s also very sensitive to the clamour by the Igbo nation that no aspirants from the zone should accept to play second fiddle in the next political dispensation. Atiku on his part has not left anyone in doubt that he will contest again after losing to Buhari in 2015. To underscore this point, the former vice president was said to have sold his shares in Intels, an oil servicing firm in Rivers state recently in preparation for that election. Atiku, some say is among the few aspirants with a war chest to contest the presidential election. Whatever happens concerning the zoning debacle, close watchers of event say Obi will contest the presidency, whether as running mate to Atiku or face it alone as a presidential aspirant.
Tinubu/ El Rufai Few months ago no consideration was given to Asiwaju/ El rufai joint ticket, particular after reports that the Kaduna governor is one of APC stalwarts projecting the candidacy of Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state who’s also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF. El Rufai first spoke on the Fayemi’s candidature, last year, during a colloquium orgnised by some Northern leaders at Arewa House in Kaduna, where he said Nigerians will soon know what the north is trying to do with Governor Fayemi. The statement, according to sources did not go down well with the Tinubu’s camp who believed that the Kaduna governor was trying to polarize the south west, and possibly frustrate power shift to the zone in 2023. What has changed between Tinubu and El Rufai, however, cannot be ascertained yet, but many analysts insist that re-alignment of force is on-going from both sides in APC to work together for the common good of the party.
Checks by the magazine indicate that the APC National Leader is still by far one of the candidates most prepared for the 2023 presidential election, despite outrage by some groups across the country, particularly, the south west where he hails from, against his ambition. According to this school of thought, Tinubu is the only candidate that can galvanise support across the country apart from Atiku, in the presidential election. With the perceived consultations between him and El Rufai, recent endorsement by some political and traditional leaders from the south west, including the Ooni of Ife, Oluwo of Iwo, and others the former Lagos governor may have started turning his presidential campaign around, according to analysts. But the major problem facing this joint ticket is the Muslim/ Muslim factor which is not likely to fly with many APC leaders because of the religious diverse nature of the country. “A southern presidential candidate who will then pick a Muslim from the core north will be more acceptable to the party, than a southern Muslim who will likely want to pick a Christian running mate from the middle belt. This will not be acceptable to the northern Muslims population who will not like to be shut out of power by virtue of that arrangement. That’s the major problem the Tinubu camp is facing,” an APC stalwart told the magazine. But this is not enough to deter the former governor who sources in APC say has an unwritten agreement with President Buhari to succeed him.
Tambuwal/ Wike Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state is staging a comeback after he lost the PDP ticket to Atiku in 2019. Just like four years ago, he’s still being backed by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state who last week donated a whopping N500 million to the Sokoto state government to rebuilt the market recently gutted by fire. The donation caused an outrage in Rivers state, it’s however a sign that the lawyer turned politician has decided to stick with his political ally through thick and thin.
Governor Aminu Tambuwal
Wike, many say is trying to warm himself to northerners as part of the bargain to clinch the ticket as Tambuwal running mate for 2023 election. Even though, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives has been somehow silent on his ambition, there’s no doubt that he’s one of the Trump cards of the PDP for the presidential election. A source told the magazine that Tambuwal has decided to be on the low key for now until the PDP makes a definite pronouncement on the issue of power shift. With Wike and some northern leaders, including the Sultan of Sokoto on his side, Tambuwal is one of the presidential candidates to watch out for.
Osinbajo/ Zulum Former governor of Jigaawa state, Sule Lamido made a statement last week when he said President Muhammdu Buhari will not support Asiwaju Tinubu in his quest to take over from him when his term ends in two years time, signposting that the former governor will not have the power of incumbency supporting his ambition, despite a gentleman agreement said to have been entered to with Buhari and some northern leaders to get his support for the incumbent in 2015. “Walahi, walahi Buhari will no support Tinubu,” Lamido said. What this means is that the power of incumbency is likely to be in favour of Osinbajo, who is believed to have the backing of some APC leaders from the North, because of his undaunted loyalty to the president.
Professor Yemi Osinbajo
Being a southern Christian could work for the SAN whose candidature, alongside Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state, many in the party believe can resolve the problem of Muslim/ Muslim ticket conundrum which the APC is trying to avoid ahead the election. Since Buhari’s support for Tinubu has already being ruled out, Osinbajo is likely to be used to strike a deal with the Tinubu camp who will have no other option than to support the vice president, once they see the body language of the president towards this end. The only problem confronting Osinbajo now is Tinubu who would not easily let go of his ambition.
Even though it’s too early to predict who among these politicians will emerge at the end of the day, watchers of events in the country insist that Atiku and Tinubu are likely to emerge the candidates of their various parties.
This report will show why a support for Sunday Igboho’s approach against banditry and criminality is exactly what the apparatchiks from their group have long thought of, planned for and expect. Those supporting Sunday are doing exactly what the bandits want them to do before they finally strike hard. So, CALM DOWN!
A CAVEAT: There are Fulani who mean well and are doing well; just as there are some who have moved down south who simply are criminals. In fact, they also have these criminals up North, kidnapping and killing. We have people of other tribes who mean well and are also doing well; just as we have people of those tribes who are hardened criminals, too.
That said, let us interrogate the latest violent tiff about the response to suspected Fulani bandits in Oyo State and, by extension, South West and Yoruba nation.
Some of our Yoruba brothers willfully embraced, campaigned with and voted for President Buhari. That is their right and it should be respected. We begrudge them not. Between 2015 and 2017/2018 when some more clear-headed Yoruba sons complained about President Buhari and the obvious lopsidedness in appointments, were they not abused as being corrupt, impatient and judgmental?
The plethora of WhatsApp platforms used to promote President Buhari dominated cyberspace. They basked in the euphoria of a new dawn as they put it. So, with the history of everything that is wrong with fairness, justice, equity and equality, who or what interests did these people think they were promoting? Some of them have now found a new opium in the disguised emancipation charge of one Sunday Igboho.
To be clear, let us disaggregate the issues.
The suspected criminal elements in our midst have caused so much havoc. Some are Yoruba and some are Fulani. Yes, there have been criminal acts that should not and must not be tolerated by anyone. There are cogent and verifiable pieces of evidence to support the suggestion that President Buhari’s attitude to banditry by suspected herders continues to embolden some criminal elements among them to continue their voyage of destruction in Yoruba land; and in the North, too. To demonstrate their audacity, they kidnapped over 300 students in President Buhari’s Katsina State at a time when he was in town.
In Oyo State, these acts of criminality would not be tolerated and there needed to be a response and there was a response.
Of all the six South West states, none has done more to empower AMOTEKUN as Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has done. This is a fact, without discounting the noble efforts of other governors in the zone.
Already, AMOTEKUN had started recording exploits against these bandits and criminals; however, there were gaps of overzealousness which were already being attended to by Governor Makinde.
Governor Seyi Makinde
But alas, our own Yoruba people, some sons and daughters of Oyo State, supposedly known for their sagacity, temperance and wisdom, were among the first to start criticizing AMOTEKUN for high-handedness. Unfortunately, these people took a cue from a newspaper with an established pro-Fulani agenda. When AMOTEKUN killed three criminal elements in the forests of Ibarapa just a fortnight ago, the newspaper said AMOTEKUN killed three Fulani.
And barely two days later, the same newspaper published that AMOTEKUN had gone berserk with the killing of 11 people in three weeks. Yet, in that report, it failed to publish the names of the 11 killed, apart from a victim of accidental discharge for which over half a dozen AMOTEKUN Operatives were discharged and handed over to the Police for prosecution.
But the agenda-setting machinery of the people we are dealing with succeeded, in a way, to bend the minds of our Yoruba sons who then started to demonize AMOTEKUN. Mind you, AMOTEKUN is established by law. It had already set some clandestine operations in motion with timelines and expected deliverables in terms of containment and elimination of threats, only for one Sunday Igboho to emerge.
Today, the same bandits have surreptitiously cornered the brains of some of our people and conditioned their minds to the false belief that only illegality will help them. That is why otherwise intelligent people are now sold to the theory of violence and are rooting for Igboho as their saviour. Whatever Igboho wants to do, he would need to work with like-minded people but would then need to act within the ambit of the law.
To think he has started a struggle that will ensure emancipation is a misplaced thinking. To believe that chasing away a few people and burning houses and cars is the only option, suggests that something wrong is happening to the famed Yoruba predisposition to quality thinking and measured approach to crisis. Yes, our people have been under the yoke of Fulani bandits for some time now. No one can just forget the murder of Dr. Aborode nor can anyone not be touched by the rape, kidnap and destruction of farmlands by bandits. Anyone could have been a victim.
But because WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, FaceTime and Tweeter are very good and they offer freedom to express one’s self with little or no consequences, should not mean we must use it to propagate fake news, twist narratives and encourage carnage.
Sunday Igboho
The paradox in all these is that we now have many Yoruba people doing Bandits’ bidding without knowing it. They are rooting for Igboho to engage in more brigandage, engage in more illegalities, turn Yoruba land into an endangered zone after which you give the federal authorities who have never hidden what some people have seen as their support for Fulani, the excuse to turn Yorubaland into their theatre for war games.
It is convenient for an Nnamdi Kanu to talk from the comfort of London and encourage unrest. He will keep doing that to sustain his own agenda.
Question: Will Yoruba allow bandits to hold sway in our land and provide an excuse for the destruction of lives and properties under what would be termed securing of lives?
The answer is NO.
The story of the destruction of Lagos during the #EndSARS riots is still unfolding at the panel of inquiry. Under the guise of protest, hoodlums took over Lagos and caused damage in the billions – in fact, Governor Jide Sanyo-Olu put the cost at our N1trillion. Is that what we want in Oyo State? To set our state on fire under the guise of emancipation? Governor Makinde will not allow that.
However, the only way the bandits can be effectively dealt with is through legal means and that is what AMOTEKUN has started doing.
To short-circuit the process and hinge survival on an effervescent effort that may die-down soon, without any clear and sustainable approach that will deliver progressive outcomes is to do exactly what the bandits’ apparatchik want.
When did Yoruba start acting based on impulse? Mind you, when we were cheated out of the June 12 mandate, we did not engage in acts of criminality to settle scores. We sat back, donned our thinking caps and engaged a strategy that eventually produced two presidential candidates of different political parties for the same election in 1999. That wisdom is still there. Things are already evolving.
Part of the plot is to stop AMOTEKUN from carrying out its legal duties for which no one will be able to fault it; but Makinde will not allow that.
When – not if – AMOTEKUN engage bandits in a gun duel, it will never be misreported as ethnic clash.
When – not if – AMOTEKUN rightly burn down criminal hideouts, it would never be misreported as arson.
When – not if – AMOTEKUN ensure the arrest of suspected bandits, it would never be misreported as extra-judicial engagement.
When – not if – AMOTEKUN go after suspected bandits anywhere in Oyo State, or South West, for that matter, it will never be misreported as persecution.
When – not if – AMOTEKUN rightly confront suspected bandits in any of our forests and succeed in eliminating or neutralizing them, it will never be misreported as ethnic cleansing.
When – not if – AMOTEKUN parade criminals, it would not be misreported as exposing any tribe to scorn and ridicule.
Unfortunately because of the channel noise created by Sunday Igboho, the strategic plans and operations AMOTEKUN would have undertaken legally as a security network are now on hold. Who loses? The Yoruba nation of course; because this hiatus may allow for more deadly bandits to seek newer enclaves to resettle from where attacks may be launched.
Activist Sunday Adeyemo ‘Igboho’has named Gani Adams, the Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land as one of the Yoruba leaders backing him in his agitation for Fulani herdsmen to leave the south west. Both initially disagreed on the modalities to be employed to find solutions to the Fulani/ farmers clashes in the region.
The freedom fighter recently issued a quit notice to Fulani herdsmen in Ibarapa, Oyo state, which raised tension across the country. He went ahead to enforce the order despite threats from security agencies and fulani leaders in the country. Igboho has now disclosed that more Yoruba people are arriving the country from the diaspora to join him in the struggle.
In a vira video, the Igboho, Oyo state born activist said he’s happy that prominent Yoruba political leaders and traditional rulers are behind him in his quest to end criminalities in the region.
He spoke on the heels of the ongoing meeting between six south west governors and Miyeti Allah leaders in Ondo state. Both sides are meeting at the instance of the presidency, the magazine learnt, to find solution to the Fulani herdsmen/ farmers crisis.
Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state, the chairman of South West Governors’ Forum, who, last week, read a riots act to Fulani herders to leave the state’s forest over criminality, is leading the meeting.
“They have all spoken up” he said referring to the Yoruba leaders who have thrown their weights behind him on the matter, adding that “I want to use this opportunity to thank all the Yoruba elders who supported us both home and abroad: Dele Momodu; former president Segun Obasanjo; former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Fayode; former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose; all our leaders, Alao Akala; Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka; the Alaafin of Oyo Empire, his imperial Majesty Oba (Dr.) Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III; Oonirisa Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Olubadan of Ibadan, Saliu Adetunji; Awujale of Ijebu Kindgom, Sikiru Adetona; Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akinlolu and Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams.”
“At this stage, do not let us disrespect our leaders in Yorubaland, you might not know, they are not happy with the situation, they are all alert, they have started speaking up, they won’t acccept the killing of their own people by Fulani herdsmen.
“Look at all the influential Yoruba people who have made submissions that if President Muhammadu Buhari tries anything funny, there will be war. Go and listen to it on radio, they said if Igboho gets arrested, there shall be war.”
He said Yoruba patriots are returning from abroad to join the struggle.
“People are arriving from overseas because this is a serious issue, we are suffering, Fulani herdsmen kidnap and kill us, on our fatherland!”
The managing director and chief executive officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe has disclosed that the lender will continue to support small businesses in the country because they are critical agents of economic growth and development.
Onyeali-Ikpe stated this on the back of the National Capacity Building Webiner for small Medium Enterprises, SMEs in the country, to be organised by the bank in Enugu state on Wednesday, January 27.
She said, “The programme underscores our long-running support for the growth of small businesses which stems from our recognition of MSMEs as critical agents of economic development and transformation in Nigeria and the world at large.
The bank’s CEO said the seminar is aimed at providing practical information, skills, and resources to help entrepreneurs become better managers of their businesses, even though the session will be virtual in line with National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC protocols against the spread of COVID 19.
The lender further stated that the seminar, organized in conjunction with the state Ministry of Trade and Commerce will target small business owners in trade and commerce, manufacturing, hospitality, education, entertainment, transportation and agriculture sectors.
Other partners are Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN); Nigeria Association of Small & Medium Enterprises, NASME and Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, ECCIMA.
The bank urges Interested participants to log on to – https://www.fidelitybank.ng/SME-Capacity-Building/ – to register.
The Federal Road Safety Commission’s, (FRSC) Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi has deployed Safety Engineers to the University town of Akungba in Ondo State, following Saturday’s accident in which people including students lost their lives.
Their mission is to ascertain the cause and recommend solutions to incessant trailer crashes that have bedevilled that particular route of the highway.
This is in addition to an Ambulance rescue point earlier established close to the notorious spot for prompt rescue operations.
According to Bisi Kazeem, the Corps Public Education Officer, the deployment of the personnel came as part of strategic proactive step by the Corps Marshal to mitigate incidences of crashes on the highways.
This is just as Identities of some of the victims of the accident are being released.
The Corps Marshal, who spoke on the readiness of the Corps to bring road traffic crashes to an end in Nigeria lamented the fatalities recorded in recent times on our roads, promising that the Corps will double its efforts to eradicate crashes, particularly those by articulated vehicles.
According to him, the crash was caused by break failure that resulted in loss of control and involved a Dangote truck, a Suzuki mini bus (XB973KAA) and a Lexus saloon car (KWL 522 AY) conveying a total of 18 passengers comprising of 11 female adults and 7 male adults.
He put the number of dead at nine, comprising of five female adults and three male adults, while a total of nine persons comprising of five female adults and four male adults, sustained various injuries.
The FRSC rescue team deposited the remains of six of the passengers who got killed at Ikare Specialist Hospital Morgue and took six injured for urgent medical attention at the emergency ward of the same hospital, while others were taken away by the police team.
“With the deployment of these professional and certified safety engineers, I am optimistic that the general factors responsible for road crashes on that route will surely be ascertained, and when that is done, necessary actions will be taking by appropriate agencies” he added.
Among the deceased already identified was a former Student Union President of the Adekunle Ajasin University , Akungba, Adesomoju Samuel Tobi popularly known as “Sampraise”.
He was a 500 level law student before his demise.
Three siblings of the same parent, who were in one of the shops that were crushed by the trailer were also among the dead.
A stakeholders meeting of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) the first this year was held on Sunday in Ado Ekiti, with the Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, presiding.
The meeting, which lasted for several hours, afforded members of the party the opportunity to speak freely and deliberate extensively on fresh registration of party members due to commence this week.
It was the resolution of members that APC could not afford to fall, thus members should support the executives at all levels to succeed.
“We must not lose power to the opposition again. Dr. Fayemi must have a political legacy by handing over to another APC governor.”
According to a statement by the director of publicity of APC in Ekiti state, Elder Sam Oluwalana, it was pointed out that one of the grievances of members that went to court was the dissolution of party executives, which has been resolved by the national care taker committee of the party.
“After this registration, every member is eligible to contest in the next Congress.
“We cannot afford disagreements and we must allow all party members who have not renounced their membership to register.
“We should also ask about those members who are supposed to be here but are not. For now, there must be cohesion in the party.”
The state Chairman of the party, Barrister Paul Omotosho advised that speculations and rumours concerning next year’s Governorship election in the state should cease for now.
“There are rumours going around about some individuals being Governor Fayemi’s anointed candidate, this should be discontinued, while focus should remain on supporting the Government to bring about the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.”
Governor Fayemi, highlighted some of the efforts of the administration saying the State Government recently appointed certain individuals into the administration, while the sum of about N1.4 billion has been disbursed through various forms of empowerment programs.
Fayemi added that after the registration exercise which will be conducted in all the States and the Federal Capital Territory, the party would hold its congress and that all the registered members of the party are eligible to participate.
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.
A Yoruba Group has alleged that Fulani youths in collaboration with rogue Nigerian undercover agents were responsible for the arson that took place in Igangan, at the Fulani Seriki’s Palace, Friday, 22nd January, 2021.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Apapo O’odua Koya, (AOKOYA) said the widescale arson that took place Friday night was the handwork of Fulani youths and some security operates.
The statement signed by Abimbola Sowumi, on behalf of the coalition, absolved Yoruba youths of the mayhem adding that the arson took place several hours after Sunday Igboho had left the town.
“Any intelligent probe would reveal that the attack was the handiwork of a party desperate to portray victims of Fulani violence as the aggressor” AOKOYA said
The group said Igboho drove to the town without any arrest neither was there any security protection for the Seriki indicating that they had hoped Igboho would commit violence in Igangan but when he left after a peaceful rally, security operatives in collaboration with Fulani residents attacked the Seriki’s house and burn it.”
AOKOYA said all through the razing of the house there were no records of resistance by the Fulani and no life was lost in those houses, confirming the credible information that state agents and Fulani residents burnt the houses to blackmail Sunday Igboho.
“The FULANI people and their government in Abuja drew a plan to allow Igboho into Igangan. They burnt the houses after Igboho left to blackmail him and the Yoruba nation. The FULANI have infinite capacity to commit evil” AOKOYA said.
“The coalition faults the Inspector General of Police, (IG) instruction that Igboho be arrested.
“The IG did not order the arrest of leaders of Coalition of Northern Groups, (CNG) that gave ultimatum to Igbo to quit the North. The IG did not order the police to invade Yoruba forests and arrest the kidnappers. He did not visit families of Yoruba people that have been killed by Fulani herdsmen including first class traditional ruler but found it convenient to order the arrest of Igboho who only held a peaceful rally. This is a clear pointer that President Mohammadu Buhari is only in office for the sake of his FULANI killers who have turned Yoruba Nation into habitat where they killed and maimed in preparation for war against the rest of the country.”
The group warned that “the selective justice being administered by the IG will only weaken and destroy a fragile country rocked constantly by the desire to violently seize the country and Talibanise the entire indigenous population by the FULANI.”
The group said “the Fulani cabal is intoxicated by power and hunted by the imminent break up of Nigeria but wanted the subvert the wish of Southern Nigeria, the middle belt and Northern minorities.
AOKOYA urged the Yoruba in towns, cities and villages to prepare for the inevitable confrontation with Fulani who want Nigeria to exist on the condition that the Fulan have eternal stronghold on the country and its people including full control of land and resources of indigenous peoples whose only crime was to have been too kind to host them on their traditional land.
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank has accused the President Muhammadu Buhari led All Progressives government, APC, of prioritising the interests of Fulani herdsmen over the collective and constitutional interests of other Nigerians.
Frank’s reaction is coming on the heels of the statement made by Buhari’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, that Fulani herdsmen can’t be ousted from any part of the South West region of Nigeria, despite the criminal elements infiltrating them.
Shehu had, while countering the ultimatum given by the Ondo state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, to “bad elements” among the Fulanis “who had turned the forest reserves in the state into hideouts for keeping victims of kidnapping, negotiating ransom and carrying out other criminal activities,” said the governor lacked the powers and could not unilaterally oust thousands of herders whom he said “have lived all their lives in the state.”
But Frank, in a statement on Saturday, said the Buhari-led APC government should rather arrest and prosecute killer herdsmen instead of making statements that smack of emboldening them.
According to him, “Buhari must not embolden these killer herdsmen with such statements. Garba Shehu’s statement smacks of giving the herders a go-ahead nod. However, The governor is the chief security officer of his state and has the constitutional right to secure the lives and property of the people whom he swore to protect.
“Statements such as made by Garba Shehu only shows that the Buhari government prioritises the interests of the Fulanis above those of other Nigerians.
“Is Buhari’s government now telling us that both the governor and the people should fold their hands and watch while intruding, murderous herders kill, kidnap them and destroy their property?
“It is no news that even when these killer herdsmen are arrested and handed over to the security agencies, they are soon allowed to go scot-free.
“Buhari must show that he is the president, not for the Fulanis alone but for all Nigerians. He must also show leadership and sincerity in curbing insecurity in the country by arresting and prosecuting killer herdsmen who go about killing, kidnapping and raping indigenes of their host states and not emboldening them.
“I urge all South West governors to rise to the occasion and perform their constitutional duties of securing the lives and property of their people,” he said.
The ex APC spokesperson who also condemned the use of violence by Sunday Adeyemo, a youth leader popularly known as Sunday Igboho who had issued a quit notice to herdsmen in Oyo state, however, said that a peaceful approach in fishing out the criminal elements among the Fulani group is a more ideal approach.
Recall that Igboho had asked herdsmen in Igangan in Ibarapa north local government area of Oyo state to leave within seven days following reports of the killing of some Oyo citizens by herdsmen.
He had blamed the herders and Fulanis, including Saliu Kadri, the Seriki Fulani, of being behind the rising insecurity in the area.
However, following the violence which followed the quit notice, the IGP, Saturday, issued an order for his arrest and transfer to Abuja.
But Frank, also, condemned the IGP for what he described as a biased arrest order which he said further encourages the herders. He questioned the police boss’ “swift and biased” arrest order on Sunday Igboho whom he said has killed nobody but only sought to protect his people. He said such arrest order should first be issued and executed on the killer herdsmen who have been killing innocent citizens across the country for so long now.
According to him, “why has the IGP not issued such arrest warrants on killer herdsmen who have been killing and kidnapping people across Nigeria for many years now? This shows that even the security agencies are encouraging the killer herdsmen on their spree.
“How can the IGP issue an arrest order on Sunday Igboho while showing a blind eye on the herdsmen? Are the killer herdsmen now above the law? Does it mean the IGP is unaware of the killings and heinous crimes perpetrated by these killer herdsmen against their host communities?
“I condemn the IGP’s biased and rather too swift arrest order on Mr Igboho without replicating such on the killer herdsmen. The IGP should not drag the face of the security agencies to the mud by such biased arrest orders. He should entertain equity in executing the stipulations of the constitution by issuing an arrest order on all killer herdsmen, not just in the South West alone but across Nigeria,” Frank said.
