OPC blows hot, issues final warning to herdsmen, kidnappers in Yoruba
land
The O’dua Peoples
Congress, OPC, has warned kidnappers and herdsmen engaged in criminal
activities in parts of the South-West to stop or incur their wrath.
OPC gave the
warning in a statement issued in Lagos at the weekend by its President, Aare
Prince Osibote.
He warned
kidnappers and herdsmen to stop their criminal activities in the South-West or
they will be forced to vacate.
OPC urged
South-West residents not to panic, adding that it was ready to flush out the
kidnappers, and herdsmen abducting innocent Nigerians from their hide-outs. Osibote said,
“Enough is enough.
“Yoruba are
peace-loving and hospitable. We welcome everybody with open arms, but the OPC
will not allow any individual or group to make the South-West unsafe or turn
the region into a den of criminals.
“Time is up for
these criminals abducting people. This is the final warning to them, they
should stop now, or relocate elsewhere outside the South-West. If they fail to
do so, they will soon meet their Waterloo.
“We are watching
the unfolding ugly developments with keen interests.
“Yoruba and other
residents in the South-West should not panic. We are, however, calling on the
Federal Government to quickly address this insecurity problem before it further
degenerates.
“OPC leaders will
not watch helplessly or fold their hands while some criminals are making life
difficult for our people, and are behaving as if they are above the law,” he
declared.
He maintained that
OPC as an organization was committed to unity, peace and harmony among
Nigerians, but decried a situation where some criminals have constituted
themselves into menace against innocent citizens.
2023 Presidency: Afenifere leader, Adebanjo reveals what’ll happen to Nigeria if
Igbo don’t produce next president
Elder statesman and
leader of the Yoruba apex socio-political organization, Afenifere, Chief Ayo
Adebanjo, has declared that Nigeria risks disintegrating if the South-East is
not allowed to produce the next President in 2023.
Adebanjo noted that
it was dishonest and invidious for anybody to be talking of the presidency
coming to the Southwest, adding that those making such utterances are not
serious about keeping the country together.
We had
reported that the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, in a recent interview,
asked the Southeast to forget about the 2023 presidency.
The Afenifere
leader has now described the Minister’s statement as a propaganda and wondered
how the Southeast would be denied the presidency when all the units in the
federation are equal partners.
Asked by The Sun to
react to Amaechi’s statement, Adebanjo said, “This is just the propaganda we
are talking about. The Southwest has said it is for them, and we have been
hearing things like this long ago.
“First, the
constitution, before any other thing must be revisited, and if the president
doesn’t do that, this country will break up. Let us get constitution first, not
to continue with this injustice.
“Why is IPOB saying
they want to break away? Because they said they were not included.
“The West has been
president, the South-South has been president and the North has been president,
while the Southeast has not, but you want peace.
“I don’t believe
any region or any section is to be given the presidency on sufferance; you are
not doing anybody any favour, the constitution we are asking for is for anybody
to become president constitutionally as applied, not out of sufferance or
favour that you vote for me. Is that why and how we were amalgamated, is that
the condition for our unity? Absolute nonsense and deceit!
“Those of them they
are deceiving are deceiving themselves. The North doesn’t want to leave power.
There are sensible people in the North, even among the Fulani.
“We are talking
about unity, peace in the country, and you are talking of people wanting to
disturb you, is that the immediate thing, while the economy is going down?
“There is no
progress until the constitution is rectified. Senator Sola Adeyeye came down
with the problem of this constitution and told them that until we change it,
there can be no peace and there can be no progress.
“What is the
problem? If there is any change this country needs now it is the change of this
nebulous constitution that is imposed on us by the military.
“I don’t buy into
this propaganda. It is dishonest and invidious for anybody to be talking of the
presidency coming to the Southwest, then you are not serious about keeping the
country together.
“For unity, for
peace and equity how would you exclude, Southeast, a part of the country from
the highest position of the country, as if it is not a part of the country?
“Are we dominating
or overruling them? We have to be together in peace and in unity. All those who
are gathering because they want to be president in 2023 are cheats and
dishonest people, and they are deceiving themselves by trying to keep us to be
disunited, so that they come to rule again, and say because we don’t agree. I
don’t beg anybody to give me presidency, but give me the right constitution.
“It will be stupid
of any Easterner to be thinking of joining Buhari or APC so that they can be
president, or any Westerner for that matter to be stupid and foolish enough to
be welcoming the idea he can be president in 2023.
“Arrant nonsense.
That won’t be fair. How can you deny the presidency to a unit of the federation
when we are equal partners? Is there sense in that? That is the question we
should ask ourselves if we are honest in this country.
“That is why I say,
let us have a constitution, which will guide us. We don’t want to be ruled by
the favour of a section of the country, that is, you are my friend, and I give
you your right. It will not happen, but if it comes to that, everybody will go
to his father’s land. There is no doubt about that.
“We can’t be forced
together and be ruling the units of the horse as the rider; they are the rider
and we are the horse. No unit will accept it.”
Fulani Jihadists have
infiltrated South West, waiting for order to attack, create havoc – Fani-Kayode
Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation Minister,
has alleged that Fulani Jihadists and herdsmen have infiltrated the South West.
The former Minister alleged that the
arsonists infiltrated the region with the aim of attacking its people when
given the order.
In a tweet, the former Minister claimed they
intended attacking the South West, while the people of the region were busy
engaging in internal squabble.
He wrote: “As the South West continues to
engage in its petty internal rivalries and endless squabbles the Fulani
jihadists, in the guise of cattle rearers and herdsmen, have successfully
infiltrated their land.
“These deadly sleeper cells are ready to
strike and create havoc when ordered to do so.”
Just few days ago, a pan Yoruba
socio-cultural group, Yoruba Koya Leadership and Training Foundation had raised
alarm over alleged taking over of states in the South West region by people
suspected to be herdsmen.
The group called on the governors to rise
above partisan interest and take actions aimed towards safeguarding their
people against internal and external aggressions, stressing that posterity and
history would never forgive any of them who, for the sake of party politics,
stare helplessly while their land is annexed.
This group had said, “We say with all sense
of responsibility and without any fear or intimidation devoid of sensationalism
that the entire Yoruba Land has been encircled by external criminals
masquerading as Herdsmen. Empirical Intelligence available to us has it that
these criminals who are mainly from Kebbi, Katsina, Kano, Sokoto and some West
African Countries, are being dropped daily in Yoruba Land by Heavy Duty
Trucks.”
Yoruba group raises alarm
as herdsmen allegedly take over South West
A pan Yoruba socio-cultural group, Yoruba
Koya Leadership and Training Foundation, has raised the alarm over alleged
taking over of states in the South West region by some people suspected to be
herdsmen.
The group made this known via a statement
sent to the current and governors-elect in the region on Monday.
There are six states that make up the South
West region. They are Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti and Lagos.
Yoruba Koya Leadership and Training
Foundation in the statement sent to the Governors and Governors-elect, urged
the chief executive officers in the states to be vigilant, stating that the
entire region has been surrounded by criminals from within and outside the
shores of Nigeria who pretend to be herdsmen.
The group called on the governors to rise
above partisan interest and take actions aimed towards safeguarding their
people against internal and external aggressions, stressing that posterity and
history would never forgive any of them who, for the sake of party politics, stare
helplessly while their land is annexed.
In the statement signed by Otunba Deji
Osibogun (Convener) and Senator Tokunbo Ogunbanjo (Trustee), the group urged
the governors to as a matter of urgency, call for an emergency meeting and
invite relevant stakeholders to take a common position on how Yoruba Nation
will be protected against attacks.
The group said, “We say with all sense of
responsibility and without any fear or intimidation devoid of sensationalism
that the entire Yoruba Land has been encircled by external criminals
masquerading as Herdsmen. Empirical intelligence available to us has it that
these criminals who are mainly from Kebbi, Katsina, Kano, Sokoto and some West
African Countries, are being dropped daily in Yoruba Land by Heavy Duty Trucks.
“Presently, these criminals are in multitude
living inside forest in Oke-Ogun axis of Oyo State; Ido/Osi, Ikole, Oye,
Irepodun/Ifelodun, Ijero and Efon-Alaaye areas of Ekiti State; Obafemi Owode,
Remo and Ayetoro-Imeko in Ogun State; Ife/Ijesha in Osun state and
Akoko-Owo-Akure land in Ondo state, pretending to be Herdsmen who rear cows
during the day but investigations conducted by our intelligence team have it
that these criminals are responsible for 80% of the recent reported cases of
kidnapping and armed robbery in Yoruba Land.
“Recently, some Farmers in Imeko, Ogun West
Senatorial District of Ogun State were attacked by these hoodlums and even
killed a Police DCO and an Inspector who dare challenged them.
“Deyoruwa, a village in Isara-Remo, Ogun
State was completely exterminated by these criminals because the villagers
resisted them. School, Church and 25 buildings were totally burnt down without
resistance despite that a police post is less than 2 kilometres to the village.
“A Canadian, Jurgis Morris was kidnapped
recently at this same Deyoruwa Junction, along Lagos-Ibadan expressway,
Isara-remo, Ogun State in April. The victim claimed to have paid N2.5million to
regain his freedom from the Herdsmen who railroaded him and his wife into the
bush and later released his wife, a Nigerian to go look for money to secure his
release.
“On May 5th, an orthopaedic Surgeon from
Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile/Ife identified as Professor
Adeyinka Adegbehingbe, was kidnapped while on his way to Ile-Ife in the company
of his wife, Victoria. Also, an Ibadan-based senior lawyer, Musibau Adetunmbi
was on April 16th 2019, kidnapped at Iwaraja junction, Osun State while on his
way to attend a court session in Akure.
“Our on the spot assessment reports have it
that at least, five people who are mostly farmers are kidnapped daily in Oke
Ogun area of Oyo State. We were also informed that Herdsmen are already
threatening to crown an Emir at Iseyin, Igbeti and Otu in Oke-Ogun.
“The Baale of Apese, Eti Osa Local Government
Area of Lagos State, Chief Razak Olaseinde Adamson was on April 28, 2019
kidnapped within his community. Also, a Director in Lagos State Fire Srvice,
Mr. Rasaki Musibau was on April 7th 2019 kidnapped along Itokin-Epe road.
“The Chairman, Ikosi-Ejinrin Local Council
Development Authority (LCDA), Mr. Ajijedidun Samson Adebisi and the
Vice-Chairman, Lekki LCDA (name with-held) were both unlucky as they were
kidnapped along this deadly Itokin-Epe road in the month of March, an
indication that the commercial nerves of Nigeria has been enclosed.”
“Consequently, we call on all Governors in
Yoruba Land, including the incoming ones, to as a matter of urgency, set
machinery in motion to ensure that these criminals are flushed out from all
forest in South West through formulation of policies that will protect and
safeguard their people from attacks.
“To start with, we suggest that all heavy
duty trucks and trailers coming into Yoruba Land are thoroughly searched at
border towns before they are allowed in. All herdsmen in Yoruba Land must be
duly registered, wear jacket/uniform and their thumbprint taken. Additional
intelligence made available to us has it that these criminals are now
penetrating into Lagos State under the guise of riding commercial motorcycle
whereas, they are digging for information to be delivered to their partners in
crime.
“We, therefore, suggest that a law is enacted
to ensure that all Okada riders operating in Lagos State be registered at
designated centres across the state with their Bank Verification Numbers and
thumb-printing taken. Jacket with registration number must be issued to them
after meeting all requirements and payment of registration fees done. Thus,
anyone riding commercial motorcycles in Lagos state without uniform will be
taken as a criminal who must be arrested and charged into court in accordance
with edit law.”
