…ACF threatens counter-attacks in North
The Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere has warned that the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) cannot threaten Yoruba people with war over ultimatum issued to Fulani herdsmen to leave Ibarapa, Oyo State.
Sunday Igboro, a Yoruba activist had issued seven days ultimatum to Fulani herdsmen in Igangan, Ibarapa
The ACF, had earlier warned of the issues that precipitated the civil war of 1967, threatening counter-attacks in the north if the Yoruba did not stop attack on Fulanis in Oyo State.
However, National Publicity Secretary, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, in a statement on Saturday said the attention of Afenifere had been drawn to the hypocritical tears of ACF over clashes in Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo state occasioned by the inimical activities of Fulani herdsmen against indigenous Yoruba people.
Afenifere said while it had gone to a great length to sue for peace and had appealed to the pained people to be law-abiding even with the daily provocations of the Fulani and harassment of its people, it frowned at the very arrogant and insulting ACF statement, especially their reference to the event of 1966.
The statement said Afenifere must make it clear to them that they could not “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.”
The body said it was miffed that a body like ACF that has never shown any remorse over the killing of Yoruba people could open its mouth anyhow now because there were consequences for the irresponsible actions of their people.
The statement advised the ACF to call their criminals to order and not expect Yoruba people to sheepishly wait to be killed by those who value cow lives more than human beings.
It added that the Yoruba people did not want a repeat of 1966 event but that if there were people plotting such event again, the rain would be over their heads.
Meanwhile, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has called on the Federal Government to stop the attack on Fulanis in Ibarapa area of Oyo State now or it will instigate counter-attacks in the north.
The ACF, in a statement on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Emmanuel Yawe, said the body received reports of an attack by Yoruba youths on Alhaji Saliu Abdulkadir, the Serki Fulani in Oyo State.
It said 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.
The statement said there were allegations that one Sunday Igboho an agitator for the Oodua Republic and who issued an ultimatum giving Fulani people seven days to leave Yorubaland was the instigator of the attack.
The ACF said most disturbing aspect of the attack was the allegation that the security agents who were earlier warned about its imminence stood by helplessly as the attack was carried out.
It said the ACF was worried about this trend and called on the Federal and State Governments in the South West to move quickly to avert a social upheaval that night destabilize the whole country.
“We recall that the civil war in the 60’s started with attacks and counterattacks like this. “The governments must be proactive and stop history from repeating itself,” the statement said.
The ACF said those who carried out these attacks must be apprehended and that the due process of the law allowed to take its course.
It warned: “If this is not done there may be counterattacks 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.”
