…we won’t tolerate this – State govt, Afenifere
The Ondo State Government and the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, have opposed a vigilante group set up by the Fulani herdsmen in the state.
While the Afenifere on Monday described the group an affront to the Yoruba, the Ondo State Government said it had ordered the arrest of members of the group.
The state government said it was not previously aware of the existence of the group.
The state government in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Donald Ojogo, said it had called for the arrest of the unauthorized group or persons claiming to be Fulani vigilantes in the state.
A statement by the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo said; “It is pertinent to recall that at the height of the incessant kidnap cases, the Ondo State Government took some far-reaching drastic measure.
“This included a marching order to the law abiding Hausa Fulani leadership in the area to fish out criminal elements among them who took advantage of the rosy relationship between the indigenes and their law-abiding guests.
“As a measure to curb and possibly, stamp out cases of kidnap in the area, the Hausa Fulani leadership was directed to select a handful of trusted men amongst them who could serve as tour guards in the thick forest as security agencies prepared to comb the forests. This measure yielded results.
“It is important to note however, that while Government appreciates the efforts of those who volunteered to provide information and served as tour guards to the security agencies in the ongoing operations in the area, it will not tolerate any unauthorised move by any group to take an undue advantage of the current state of insecurity in the country.
“Succinctly, Government, having been unaware of any such identity card carrying persons in the name of a vigilante group, has directed security agencies to get to the root of the matter and apprehend any such person or group of persons operating in that manner,” the statement stressed.
Also, Afenifere, said the development was not good for the security of the Yorubaland.
Speaking with our correspondent on the telephone, the Publicity Secretary of the Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, said, “We have seen the pictures. It is a big affront to the Yoruba nation that the Fulani vigilante has now been set up throughout the Yorubaland, carrying arms, mounting checkpoints when our own elected governors would not be allowed to set up state police.”
He added, “ We now have bandits, terrorists, carrying guns on our streets, even mounting roadblocks. This is a monumental tragedy for our nation. This means the Buhari administration does not mean well for the unity of this country.”
The group called on the Ondo State Government to stop immediately the “illegal occupation of our land within the shortest possible time, and if they refused to do we would not restrain our people from confronting them.”
Meanwhile,a social critic and human rights lawyer, Dr. Kayode Ajulo has declared he was not stopped by Fulani herdsmen at a checkpoint.
He said he only interacted with two members of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Vigilante group around Akoko on his way to Abuja.
He said the operation of the vigilance group is known to all the security apparatus in the area.
He said his interaction with the members of the vigilante group was a voluntary undertaking as part of his profiling as a discerning leader of his community.
He said the interaction was part of his desire of curbing the menace of insecurity in Nigeria.
He urged Nigerians to sever political and ethnic sentiments from their minds on the insecurity in the country.
Ajulo, who made the clarifications in a statement in Abuja, said other security men came to corroborate the claims of the two members of the vigilante group.
His statement was titled “Synoptic account of my encounter with the Vigilante Group on the Highway.”
The lawyer said: “My attention has been drawn to the publication in print and electronic media of my encounter with some vigilantes on my way from Akure on the 21st July, 2019 which has generated a lot of controversial responses from different quarters.
“I have received calls from various well-wishers and friends of mine, locally and internationally, who out of concern, inquired whether I was hurt or injured by the vigilantes. It is pertinent to state that I am quite hale and hearty without any injury or harm.
“More so, it is important to state for the records the actual facts as regards the events that occurred that fateful, Sunday afternoon of 21st July, 2019 in order to clarify the narrative trailing the publications.
“It is quite true that I was in Akure, Ondo State from Friday, 19th July, 2019 to Sunday, 22nd July, 2019 for my mother’s investiture as the Iya-Ijo (Chief Matron) of our home Church, Christ Anglican Church, Oke-Ifira-Akoko, Ondo State.
“ On my way back to Abuja on the 22nd day of July, 2019 in the company of some security men, we saw two men at the highway around Akoko, Ondo State carrying dane guns.
“On sighting them, inquiry was made as to their duty on the highway with guns in their hands, being not uniformed men. They thereafter responded that they were members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Vigilante group whose operation is known to all the security apparatus in the area.
“Also, they willingly showed us their identity cards which had their names and designations. Some other security men came to corroborate their claims.
“I therefore wish to debunk the account that I was stopped by Fulani Herdsmen as peddled by some persons.
“Our interaction is a voluntary undertaking as part of my profiling as a discerning leader of my community, desirous of curbing the menace of insecurity in Nigeria.”
Ajulo cautioned Nigerians against turning the insecurity in the country to political and ethnic sentiments,
He added: “In response to the controversial reactions on my encounter with these men, it suffices to state that we as Nigerians, must sever political and ethnic sentiments from our minds in the bid to nip this ubiquitous insecurity in the land in the bud.
“In my comment on the gruesome killing of Pa. Fasoranti’s daughter, and a confidant, I categorically and unapologetically hinted that we should not see the killing as inter-ethnic attack as there are reported cases of massive killings in other parts of the Country.
“Recently, about 32 persons were killed in Sokoto State, several others killed in Kaduna, Benue, Niger, Zamfara and other States by some undisclosed bandits, who to me irrespective of their ethnic background are criminal and must be treated as such.
“The naked truth is that the insecurity in Nigeria is national which must not be ignored and we must join hands with our security agencies to fight the menace.
“Thus, we should not allow ethnicity and sentiment to becloud our sense of judgment and humanity in the war against insecurity.”
He said if Nigerians, especially public commentators, were not cautious, the increasing bigotry in the country might lead to civil war.
He said: “We are at a time in our nation that pretentious and sentimental interactions no longer works otherwise this bigotry may fan into flame the embers of civil war in this country.
“It will not be out of place to ask this poser: is it due to the lackadaisical attitude of the Law enforcement agencies and disregards for the inputs and indelible contributions of our leaders, the OPC and other local vigilante groups that these Miyetti Allah groups are now manning our highways in the South West?
“This is the question that must be addressed by all stakeholders regardless of their ethnic, religious and political affiliations.
“As I thank all for their concern, may I conclude with the words of the legendry Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa JSC (as he then was) that “when we act in unison, we will achieve the peace that we search, but when we are fighting separately, it is not coordinate and if we don’t accommodate one another, we cannot live together”.
When contacted, the National Secretary of Miyetti Allah, Baba Usman, told one of our correspondents, “I don’t know anything about that. I just heard this from you now. The security agencies should go after them; I don’t know anything about that one.”
The state police command Public Relations Officer, Mr. Femi Joseph, said the command had commenced investigations into the matter.
He said, “We are conducting our investigation into the matter. That is my reaction for now.”
