…As Yoruba Koya Movement Donate Boots, Raincoat, Torchlight, Head Lamp, Whistles, Hand Gloves, others to Informal Security Sector
As the security situation of the nation of Nigeria continue to frail and suspected Fulani Herdsmen kills at will from the Desert of the South through to the middle belt, prominent Yoruba Leaders and Self-determination groups on Thursday sent a sticker to all Governors and opinion leaders in South Western, Nigeria to defend all lands, farmers, private and public property in Yoruba Land from being invaded and captured by external forces.
The leaders and self-determination groups who spoke at a no-holds barred parley organized by a pan-yoruba socio-cultural group, Yoruba Koya Movement with members of Vigilante, Hunters, Farmers, Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Market men and Women etc in Ilaro, Ogun State to examine the effects of the menace of Fulani herdsmen on food security and safety of lives and property; causes of herdsmen and farmers crisis; management options of Fulani Herdsmen versus Farmers’ crisis as it affects food security in Ogun State said Yoruba land as things currently stands, has been encircled.
First to speak at the event held at Community Pavilion Centre, Ilaro was an Emeritus Professor of History and Second Republic Senator; Banji Akintoye alleged without mincing words that the current killings, kidnappings and attack on farm lands in Yoruba land and in the middle belt is being sponsored by the Fulani Oligarchy with sole aim to capture Nigeria, adding that “murderous Fulani herdsmen are for destruction and that will not be allowed in Yoruba land”.
He said “there is need for Yoruba nation to speak in one voice. The South East is now one against the Fulani Oligarchy. The Niger/Delta has decided. Yoruba Land must unite unless there’s fire on the mountain. Othman Dan Fodio said before he died that Fulani must not rest until they capture the whole of Nigeria.
“That Yoruba’s are accommodating should not be taken for granted. We welcome all tribes but they should all be law abiding; they should not to come and destroy our properties. Fulani herdsmen need to be stopped and driven away since they are always causing havoc. They cannot be allowed to destroy farm lands in yoruba land except they want to rear their cattle peacefully.
“I call on South West Governors and those of Kwara and Kogi and Edo States to party interest aside and join hands together and decide on how to protect Yoruba land for history and posterity in the face of the Fulani Herdsmen aggression against the peace, security and prosperity of our people. The Governors should consider measures for promoting and encouraging modern ranches to face out nomadic cattle rearing that is now a cause.”
The 83-year old Ondo State born Octogenarian said the battle lines have been drawn because the yoruba people will not allow themselves to be intimidated. He said farmers are being attacked and killed in Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti and Yewa axis of Ogun State virtually every day with security agencies doing nothing to curtail the surge.
He lampooned President Muhamadu Buhari, stressing that Lives are not safe under him anymore because he is not competent enough and he’s more of a Fulani President than a Nigerian Leader.
To Okunronmu, a senator who represented Ogun central in Senate from 1999 to 2003, the ongoing killings in Nigeria are strategically figured out by the Fulani Elites to capture the whole of Nigeria by all means necessary.
The Elder statesman said “The leader of the Fulani in Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello said in 1960 shortly after independent that this new nation called Nigeria shall be an extension of the Estate of our great grandfather, Othman Danfodio, we must ruthlessly prevent a change of government. We must use the people of the middle belt as willing tools and the people of the south as conquered territory and never let them rule over us, never let them control their own future, so, tell me, what can be more explicit than that? The killings are going unchecked because Buhari has keyed into the Fulani agenda”, he said.
Okunronmu told all self-determination groups represented at the event to brace up to defend themselves. He alleged that some Governors are now scared to checkmate insecurity being perpetrated by Fulani Herdsmen in their domain because they don’t want to offend Buhari.
He called on all governors in Yoruba land never to tow such a dangerous pact.
The parley which was attended by the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ahmed Iliyasu was chaired by the paramount ruler of Yewa Land, His Royal Majesty, the Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle, the Asade Agunloye IV.
Speaking on behalf of the informal security sectors that were present at the session, the chairman of Hunters’ Association in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State, Mr. Adekunle Mustapha Ashifa alleged that traditional rulers, especially, the Baales in the rural areaars do collect bribe and kick-back from the murderous Fulani Herdsmen destroying farm lands in Ogun State to shut their mouth, calling on the Governor and all opinion leaders in the state to rise up to their aide.
All the leaders of OPC, Hunters, Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Farmers and Market Women who spoke at the event decried the poor state of security in Ogun State, accusing the leadership of the Police especially, the men of the Federal Anti-robbery squad (F-SARS) of compounding their woes by colluding with the leaders of Fulani Herdsmen to arrest any locals to send petition to them (the police).
The Police boss who was represented by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai said the police and other security agency in Ogun State declared that Yoruba Koya will be partnered to coordinate all informal security sectors in Ogun State to better safeguard the people.
He cautioned against reprisal, warning that all informal security sectors in the state should follow laid down rules and regulations of the land in their fight against insecurity, promising that any erring officers caught compromising ethics of his or her profession will be dealt with accordingly.
In his remarks, the Convener of Yoruba Koya, Otunba Deji Osibogun said unless all Yoruba people unite together to defend themselves, one day, they would sleep and wake up to see all their lands captured by the Herdsmen.
Osibogun who is the Otunba Obaloja of Ijebu-land said the security formations in Nigeria are helpless because they are all headed by Fulani that cannot kill their people, stressing that “there’s an agenda and we must be battle ready”.
The seasoned media practitioner who donated several security gadgets such as Boots, Raincoat, Torchlight, Head Lamp, Whistles, Hand Gloves, others to Informal Security Sector in the state stated that the sole aim of Yoruba Koya Movement is to safeguard the live and property of Yoruba Land and champion the crusade for the restructuring of Nigeria political and socio-economic structures.
Other speakers at the event were Chairman of reformed Oodua Peopple’s Congress in Ogun State, Comrade Akeem Irewunmi, Governor, OPC of Frederick Fasheun Faction, Comrade Ademola Balogun and the Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Suraji Adekunbi who was represented by his Special Assistant on Special Duties, Alhaji Baba Gafar.
Also at the event was the 108-year old co-founder of Agbekoya, Pa Olureti Anayanolu, the Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ogun State, Mr. Sanya Opeolu and a representative of the Directorate of State Services, Deola Ajewole.
Photo News Caption:
- From Right to Left: Ogun State Commissioner of Police represented by an Assistant Police Commissioner, Mr. Tijani Ahmed, Convener, Otunba ‘Deji Osibogun (middle), emeritus professor of History and second republic senator, Banji Akintoye, Senator Femi Okunronmu and others at a no-holds barred interactive parley with informal security sector in Ogun State organized by a Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Yoruba Koya Movement over spate of killings and insecurity in the state held Thursday 5th July 2018 in Ilaro.
- From Right to Left: A cross section of participants at a no-holds barred parley with informal security sector in Ogun State organized by a Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Yoruba Koya Movement over spate of killings and insecurity in the state held Thursday 5th July 2018 in Ilaro.
- The Convener, Otunba ‘Deji Osibogun addressing the gathering.
- Selected members of Hunters, OPC and Vigilante dressed with security gadgets donated by Otunba Deji Osibogun.