…as MBF berates IGP for threat
Sunday Adeyemo, the Yoruba activist also known as Igboho, has declared that he is not intimidated by the threat of arrest issued by the Inspector General of Police.
Igboho had asked herdsmen in Igangan, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo to leave within seven days following reports of the killing of some indigenes.
Igboho had blamed herders and Fulanis, especially the Seriki Fulani, Saliu Kadri, for rising insecurity in the area, including kidnapping, murders and rape.
His quit notice to the herdsmen led to an order by the Inspector General of Police, Abubakar Adamu, to order his arrest preparatory to his prosecution.
His declaration came as the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) condemned IGP Adamu for ordering Igboho’s arrest.
In video that went viral on Sunday, Igboho thanked prominent Yoruba leaders, including the traditional leaders, who had risen to his defence at such a critical moment.
“They (herders) cannot chase us away from our land. Our eyes are opened it unless they want to kill us.”
He also appealed to his supporters to collaborate with the leaders in the fight against the criminals.
“Don’t ridicule or abuse our leaders in the southwest, I swear with the gods of our land, they are also angry with the current situation and they are now speaking up
“You can see the way all the Yorubas and other prominent southwest leaders rose up in unison to say that you must not arrest Igboho.
“It is quite sad that we are being maltreated, killed and our sisters/daughters get raped by killer herdsmen, we can’t go to farm or stream to carry out different activities. Enough is enough.”
Igboho’s order to the Fulanis went ahead of a similar order by Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu who gave the herdsmen in his state to vacate all government’s forest reserves within one week.
The seven days ultimatum expires Monday, January 25, 2021.
Akeredolu, like Igboho, accused the herdsmen of converting the reserves to dens of criminals, using the forests to hide kidnapped victims while negotiating ransom with their relatives.
However, a day after the governor’s quit order, the Presidency issues a counter order, saying he lacked the powers to evict the herdsmen from the state where they have lives for years.
The MBF similarly supported Akeredolu’s determination to kick the herdsmen from forests, insisting that the governor had the right to protect his people from attacks.
“Unacceptable for the Federal Government to interfere in the genuine efforts deployed by Governor Akeredolu to end the ceaseless abductions of peaceful citizens for ransom,” MBF said in a statement.
“We find it inscrutable for the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration to insist on defending criminals whose major preoccupation is unleashing violence and terror on peaceful communities,” it further said in the statement signed by its president, Dr. Pogu Bitrus,
“We are also worried at the turn of events in the South-west and the order issued by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, for the arrest of Mr Sunday Adeyemo, AKA Igboho, over his alleged role in the violence that took place at the weekend in Oyo state.
“While we welcome the bold decision by the governor to protect lives and property of citizens threatened by the activities of bandits that have now found safe havens in forests, we are completely opposed to any action by the Federal Government to escalate the ongoing tension as demonstrated by the arrest order on Igboho.
“As the Chief Security Officer of Ondo State, Governor Akeredolu is rightly entitled to protect citizens that are now under constant siege by criminal elements.
“For those who insist that the quit order on criminal herders amounts to infringing the citizenship rights of Fulani, the Forum wishes to reiterate that Akeredolu’s quit order is to unregistered herders occupying the forests and involved in kidnappings and banditry”.
“We stand in solidarity with Governor Akeredolu on his resolve to rid the forest reserves of bandits engaged in kidnappings and other crimes. We call on the Federal Government and other state governors to work in partnership and end the terror perpetrated by these bandits whose occupation of the country’s forest reserves have become present and future dangers to Nigeria as a nation”.
