Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm over threats to the security of Yoruba nation by Fulani herdsmen, alleging that the South West region is under siege.
National Vice Chairman (South West) of the party, Dr Eddy Olafeso in a statement released on Sunday by the party’s zonal secretary, Mr. Ayo Fadaka, said the continuous threat to the security of the South West region by the Fulani herdsmen calls for serious concern.
He said “the continuing carnage and wanton destruction of lives in the South West by criminals of Fulani extraction, now commonly referred to as Fulani herdsmen call for serious concern by stakeholders in Yoruba land.
“It is time something urgent and cogent is done against this malaise forthwith. We cannot continue to fold our arms and watch.
“We take due notice of the murder of Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Yoruba leader, Pa Ruben Fasoranti and thus declare that the insult on the Yoruba nation is getting exacerbated. This murder possess a potential devastating effect on the nation as it has further reinforced the fear and distrust of the Yoruba for the immediate future of our nation and its security management which has clearly declined and deteriorated massively under the current dispensation.
“We also want to reiterate that the Yoruba nation is currently under siege as criminal elements from elsewhere have invaded our land, killing, raping and unduly oppressing us without agencies of state constitutionally saddled with responsibilities to protect us doing enough to manage this crisis in the South West.
“The murder of Mrs Olakunrin is the first high-profile act committed by these criminals; we hereby affirm that thousands of such murders have been committed by these same criminal Fulani herdsmen across the South West with no attendant repercussions on these criminal bands by agencies of government.
“The Yoruba people are enraged about these developments and believe that there exist plans to pursue ethnic cleansing in our nation. Due notice is constantly given to the fact that leadership of the Yoruba nation continues to be targeted by these criminal elements who once kidnapped Chief Olu Falae and attacked palaces, thereby desecrating and assaulting our corporate heritage as a people.
“Once again, we urge the South West governors to take their responsibilities serious. We wish to remind them that the “Yorubaness” in all of us cannot be sacrificed on the altar of partisanship or political expediency. We know that they won’t continue to fail to make President Muhammadu Buhari realise the seriousness of this crisis as they all want to be in his good books; this attitude is irresponsible and cheap.
“We, however, commend Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State for his continuing forthrightness and foresight on the issue of security in the South West.
“We note that President Buhari has once again issued another in the series of condolence messages, commiserating with Pa Fasoranti, father of Mrs Olakunrin. In the message, he whimsically rationalise this murder as an armed robbery attack; we however differ and now tell him it was a Fulani herdsmen action, as people in that area of the incidence clearly said that the location remains the criminals’ major theatre of operation.
“We however want to remind the president that he was elected to be our
Commander-in-Chief and not mourner-in- chief; it is his responsibility to make our nation safe from all strive and lawlessness, not to excuse and rationalise them, or even appear helpless or unimaginative at trying times like this when duty calls.
“Nigeria must not collapse under his watch as history will hold him responsible for such callous development.
“We affirm our loyalty to the national leadership of our party and nation, however, we wish to state clearly that we are primarily Yoruba, therefore affected, afflicted and traumatised by synchronised
attacks on our region,” Olafeso added.