Igboho broke no law – Afenifere tells Northern groups, backs Yoruba activist

Pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has urged northern groups threatening Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, over his actions to ensure that Yorubaland is freed from banditry and terrorism to keep their peace.

In a statement by National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, Afenifere stated that Igboho is not threatening any particular ethnic group “but individuals and groups who are engaged in terror acts in Yorubaland”.

Recall that following the abductions in Igboho-Igbeti-Kisi axis of Oke ogun in Oyo State, Yoruba nationalist, Igboho, last weekend went to his hometown, Igboho, where he issued a two-hour ultimatum to kidnappers of a pregnant woman and two others to release their victims or face some dire consequences.

Igboho also warned Fulanis who engage in nefarious activities like kidnapping to desist just as he threatened to kill any indigene found to be abetting such a thing.

Igboho assured non-indigenes who are living in the area peacefully and harmoniously to entertain no fear.

However, some notable voices in the northern part of Nigeria including Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Coalition of Northern Groups and Concerned Fulani People of Nigeria condemned the Yoruba activist for the ultimatum.

They asked President Bola Tinubu and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to call Igboho to order.

Reacting, Afenifere noted that there is absolutely nothing wrong in the position taken by Igboho in his efforts at protecting his people.

“Since he was not violent in his action nor conduct himself in a manner that violates the laws of the land, calling on the authorities to deal with him borders on blackmail and an attempt to call a dog a bad name with a view to having it hanged,” Afenifere said.

The organisation maintained that Yorubaland is one of the areas that people of northern extraction found safe and “conducive for them to dwell in to the extent that many of them have adopted the place as their abode”.

“They have been living in those places with the natives having no problem with them.

“But the situation began to change from the moment that unscrupulous Fulani herders began to graze on farmlands of the local people.

“This was to be compounded by abduction and sacking of communities that began to occur in recent times,” Afenifere added.

The group noted that those who engage in illegal mining had also been fingered as possible sponsors of terrorism as they moved in to dig the ground for mineral resources as soon as they displaced the people living on those lands.