Killer herdsmen: Group warns South West against complacency

THE Yoruba Koya Group has warned the people of the South West to guide against complacency in the wake of the increasing incursion and killings in the zone, allegedly being perpetrated by some people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.

Co-founder of the group, Otunba Deji Osibogun, gave the warning while speaking with Saturday Tribune against the backdrop of the call by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, on Wednesday, for the suspension of the anti-open grazing law on the ground that it was causing tension across the country.

Describing the call by the minister as unfortunate and uncalled for, Osibogun said it was wrong for anybody to want to forcefully and illegally ply his trade in any part of the country, especially in the South West, adding that extension farming, including grazing, should be done legally.

“The statement credited to the Minister of Defence is worrisome. Saying that the anti-open grazing law should be suspended is uncalled for. You cannot put guns in the hands of the Fulani herdsmen for them to be grazing openly in any part of Yorubaland.

“The killings have been happening mostly in the other parts of the country, outside the South West and this has made the people of the zone to have this ‘ki lo kan mi’ (I don’t care attitude). But Yoruba must guide against complacency and ward off further incursion into the zone by the killer herdsmen,” he said.

“It is becoming more worrisome that the killing is fast spreading to the South West. Just last week, 13 persons were killed in the zone by the killer herdsmen. We have recently also been witnessing an increasing spate of kidnapping in the zone, especially in Ekiti State.

“It is in the light of the above that the statement by the Minister of Defence is very unfortunate. Yoruba should be very careful and be prepared against attempts to endanger the life of the people.  If any of the political parties is calling for the persecution of Yoruba, let them make it open and we will not vote for them.

“The population of the Fulani Bororo is on the increase in the South West. How do we identify this people whose population is on the increase in the zone, especially in Lagos?

“I am warning my people against complacency and this ‘I don’t care attitude. We should embark upon on headcount to know the identity of the Fulani in Yorubaland. We can do this through the elected public office holders and their offices in the local government areas across the South West.

“We have the manpower to do the headcount. We should this in Lagos State, in Oke Ogun and other parts of Yorubaland and we can do it without flouting or breaking any known law of the land. We must say no to forceful co-habitation,” he said.