Pan-northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum, on Saturday carpeted its Yoruba counterpart, Afenifere, over the latter’s comments it considered offensive to the North.
The ACF faulted the statement by Afenifere while reacting to the kidnap of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
It argued that it found it (statement) absurd and embarrassing for the highly-respected Afenifere to criminalie an entire region, tribe or race simply because a crime was committed by suspected individuals from that race.
Specifically, the ACF was referring to a communiqué in which Afenifere warned that if the Federal Government failed to stop the Fulani herdsmen from attacking the Yoruba, they would be forced to defend themselves.
The ACF had quoted Afenifere’s communiqué, signed by Pa Reuben Fasonranti to have read, “If the Federal Government fails to stop Fulani herdsmen from attacking Yoruba people, it may result in a situation where the South-West people will have to defend themselves”
However, the Northern body, through its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, in a statement in Kadunaon Saturday, alleged that in 2,000 when the Oodua Peoples Congress “unleashed terror” on the Hausas in Lagos “ACF never blamed it on Yoruba.”
According to the Forum, it considers such statement from Afenifere as reckless and unbecoming.
It noted that for the Afenifere to brand a whole region as criminal negated the spirit of oneness, which bound Nigerians.
The statement read, “The communiqué went further to warn that “if the Federal Government fails to stop Fulani herdsmen from attacking Yoruba people, it may result in a situation where the South-west people will have to defend themselves
“ACF considers such statement as reckless and unbecoming of a highly respected group like the Afenifere that choose to criminalize a whole race or tribe or region instead of the individual criminals.
“Moreover, our law books provides the process of dealing with such suspected criminals rather than arrogating such powers to ourselves. Nigeria has over 250 tribes and Yoruba is just one of them, for it to threaten other tribes just because of an alleged crime of some suspected herdsmen is unnecessary.”
The ACF added, “In November 2000 when some OPC hoodlums attacked northerners in the south west region, ACF did not blame it on the Yoruba, rather it urged the government to arrest the perpetrators that committed the crime.
“ACF therefore appeals to Afenifere and all other socio-cultural organizations and individuals to always exercise some restrain and show maturity in reacting to situations in view of the complexity of our country.”
Meanwhile, the ACF said it was saddened by the multiple bomb blasts that rocked Kuje and Nyanya in Abuja lateFriday, claiming several lives .
It expressed concern over the renewed bombing despite the successes recorded by the Nigerian military in tackling the Boko Haram insurgency and urged security agencies to be more proactive in discharging their duties. – Punch.
