Afenifere to ACF: Stop the Drumbeats of War

 

Mr Yinka Odumakin, National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere

 

 

 

The Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere on Saturday tasked its counterpart in the North, The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF on its reaction to the tension in Oyo state generated by Sunday Igboho’s seven-day quit order on Fulanis leaving in Ibarapa Local Government in Oyo state, describing the statement by the ACF as hypocritical.

The group frowned at the mention of war by the ACF in its statement and  warned that the South West would protect their land from been run over by bandits.

Earlier, in its reaction to the developments in Oyo state, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, on Saturday condemned the attack on a Fulani community in the southwest, insisting that such an act was a social upheaval that may destabilize the country.

Emmanuel Yawe, National Publicity Secretary, Arewa Consultative Forum, in a statement on Saturday entitled “STOP THE DRIFT IN THE SOUTHWEST”, recalled that the civil war in the 1960’s started with attacks and counter-attacks like the Oyo attack on Fulani.

He stated in the statement; “this morning, we received reports of an attack by Yoruba Youths on Alhaji Saliu Abdulkadir, the Serki Fulani in Oyo State.

“In the reports, he was attacked and driven out of his house, eleven cars and his house burnt with his family members now living in the bush.”

“There are allegations that one Sunday Igboho an agitator for the Oodua Republic and who issued an ultimatum giving Fulani people seven days to leave Yorubaland is the instigator of the attack..

“The most disturbing aspect of the attack is the allegation that the security agents who were earlier warned about its imminence stood by helplessly as the attack was carried out.”

“The ACF is worried about this trend and calls on the Federal and State Governments in the South West to move quickly to avert a social upheaval that may destabilize the whole country.

“We recall that the civil war in the 60’s started with attacks and counter-attacks like this.”

“The governments must be proactive and stop history from repeating itself. Those who carried out these attacks must be apprehended and the due process of the law allowed to take its course.”

“If this is not done there maybe counter attacks in the north and the country will be up in flames. The authorities must act. The ACF is very worried and calls on them to act fast.”

While advising the ACF to “call their criminals to order”, Afenifere warned that Yoruba would not want a repeat of the incident of 1966.

In a swift reaction, Afenifere said the ACF was playing the ostriched by having waited until now to be reacting to the banditry and kidnapping allegation swirling around the herdsmen across the country.

According to the Mr Yinka Odumakin, National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, “The attention of Afenifere has been drawn to the hypocritical tears of Arewa Consultative Forum over clashes in Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo state occasioned by the inimical activities of Fulani herdsmen against indigenous Yoruba people.

“While we have gone to a great length to sue for peace and have appealed to our pained people to be law-abiding even with the daily provocations of the Fulani and harassment of our people, we frown at the very arrogant and insulting ACF statement, especially their reference to the event of 1966.

“We must make it clear to them that they cannot threaten us with a war at this stage as we will not provoke war but never are we going to run for anybody on our land.

“We are miffed that a body like ACF that has never shown any remorse over the killing of our people can open their mouths anyhow now because there are consequences for the irresponsible actions of their people.

“We advise them to call their criminals to order and not expect our people to sheepishly wait to be killed by those who value cow lives more than human beings.

“We do not want a repeat of 1966 event but if there are people plotting such event again, the rain will be over their heads.”