BY AKINWALE ABOLUWADE, IBADAN
The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, on Wednesday raised the alarm on the spate of killings and insecurity in the South-West, saying there is urgent need to stop the menace by Fulani herdsmen in the zone.
The Yoruba warlord, in a strong-worded letter titled, “Urgent need to stop killings by Fulani herdsmen in Yorubaland,’ on Wednesday, expressed concern on the state of the nation to the global communities.
The letter, which was personally signed by Adams, written to the United Nations, African Union and the United States of America, reads, “This is to bring to your attention a clear and present danger threatening the fragile union of our great country, Nigeria. Senseless killings and massacre of Nigerians, almost on a daily basis, are tragically sliding toward an anarchical terminal point.
“The inability of the Federal Government is already compounding an already gory situation. While you already know, through diplomatic sources and the media, what is going on in world’s most populous black nation, Nigeria, I want to urgently alert you that an agenda bordering on pogrom is gradually being executed in Yorubaland.”
Noting in the letter that it was the duty of the global community to intervene and address the issue in an holistic manner, Adams said the statistics of prominent Yoruba people who had been murdered by killer herdsmen and their collaborators had increased by the day.
The letter further reads, “Yorubaland has been put under serious pressure through payment of ransom running into millions of naira demanded by these conscienceless, unscrupulous and ruthless murderers.
“Now, the agitation for them to leave our land has reached an alarming crescendo and the backing given to them by the Federal Government to continue to lay claim to the fact that nobody can chase anybody away from any part of the country is not helping matters.
“The peace, stability and tranquility of Yoruba people in this geographical space called Nigeria are being tested by blood-thirsty maniacs through invasion of our land. In our space, these herdsmen are accused daily of committing rape, kidnap and murder.
“The invasion of Igangan, a rural community in Ibarapaland, Oyo State on June 6, 2021, leading to the massacre of scores of residents by these same band of roving killers, who prefer to stay in the forest because of their murderous intent, seems to be the last straw.”
It stated that any crisis that happens in Nigeria may have a negative effect on the rest of the world, adding, “It may happen soon because all the security establishments are already showing signs of virtual ineffectiveness. Your Excellencies, if something urgent is not done, these series of attacks will soon have a negative effect on Western countries’ investments in Nigeria.”
