Tunde Thomas And Vincent Kalu
Yoruba socio-cultural apex group, Afenifere, and the Odua Peoples Congress, OPC ,have warned armed herdsmen that are into kidnapping and other criminal activities to keep away from Yorubaland or risk incurring the wrath of the people.
The two groups while reacting to the recent kidnapping of a university don, Prof.Olayinka Adegbehingbe of Obafemi Awolowo University,OAU,Ile-Ife, at Asejire on Ife –Ibadan road last week, declared that Yoruba leaders will not allow any individual or group to turn any part of Yorubaland into bases for criminal activities. They advised the herdsmen to look elsewhere to serve as hunting ground for their nefarious activities or risk burning their fingers.
While describing the abduction of the university don as very unfortunate, leading Afenifere chieftain, Senator Femi Okurounmu warned the herdsmen not to toy with the idea of turning Yorubaland into bases for kidnapping or perpetrating any crime saying that they would meet their waterloo if they do so.
‘’Enough is enough, this evil must be stop. These herdsmen must be checkmated. These Fulani herdsmen have been kidnapping and abducting people all over the country without respect for anybody. They are very daring, and they behave as if the entire country belong to the Fulani, and that they can lord it over anybody. Let me however sound a note of warning, Yoruba elders and leaders will not fold arms while these criminals are making life difficult for Nigerians. They are however warned in their own interests to keep away from Yorubaland or they should prepare to meet their doom’’.
Okurounmu who noted that the nefarious activities of the herdsmen have become more pronounced since President Buhari took over power lamented that the President has not deemed it fit to wield the big stick against them.
‘’These herdsmen have become more daring in their nefarious activities since Buhari took over power in 2015 and Afenifere has been warning repeatedly about the deadly activities of these herdsmen but sadly we have been ignored by those in authority. But let me sound a note of warning that Yoruba elders will not allow these herdsmen to turn Yorubaland into hunting ground for kidnappers. They should not try it, it will backfire. Fulani herdsmen who are into kidnapping business should not venture into Yorubaland, if they try it, they will burn their hands. They will meet their waterloo in Yorubaland’’, he declared.
Spokesman of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, said it is a confirmation that the Fulani herdsmen have carried their impunity to a level that they think they can do anything they like in any part of the county because Nigeria has become a conquered territory to them.
“We listened to the presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu saying that Fulani herdsmen are the same with Afenifere and Ohanaeze, when Global Terrorism Index has declared them in 2016, as the fourth deadliest terror group in the world after Boko Haram, ISIS. These people have killed across the country in the last four years from Benue to Enugu, to Ogun, Ondo, Anambra, Rivers and everywhere. They have kidnapped important people like Chief Olu Falae, but which of them has been brought to bo ok in the last four years, nobody.
“All we have found is excuses for all of them from the Presidency, the Minister of Defence, Chief of Army Staff, and that is why they are carrying on this kind of activities; they are just telling the rest of Nigerians that, “we have conquered you and we have taken over your territories”; so, it is the reign of Fulani herdsmen across Nigeria.”
The Afenifere spokesman further said, to stop this orgy of killings by the people he described as, marauders, “we have to follow what General Danjuma (Retd) told this nation few months ago that everybody or group in Nigeria must learn to defend themselves with whatever means available to them. If the Presidency directed Garba Shehu to equate the killer group with Afenifere and Ohanaeze, it is clear that it is a waste of time for anybody or group to expect the Federal Government to defend them against these killers.
On his part, the National President, OPC, Aare Prince Odubote, warned the herdsmen not to overstep their bounds.
According to him, ’’These herdsmen should not play with fire. Any attempt by them to turn any part of Yorubaland into den of criminals or bases to commit crime against Yoruba people will be resisted. Yoruba are peace loving. We are also very caring, and very accommodating but we will not fold our arms and keep quiet if anybody wants to disrupt peace in Yorubaland or do monkey business in Yorubaland. It will boomerang’’.
While saying that there is no hiding place for criminals in Yorubaland, Odubote added: ‘’Everbody knows what OPC can do but we don’t want to be provoked. Herdsmen should not try us. If they do so they will regret it.We will not allow any group of criminals to disturb our peace in Yorubaland. We believe in the unity of Nigeria, we want everybody to continue to live together in peace and harmony, and therefore the Federal government is advised to arrest and bring to justice those herdsmen or other individuals that are into criminal activities that are inimical to the well being of the nation.