…Demands Road Repair, State Police
Some Yorubas in the Diaspora under the platform of Yoruba World Congress Worldwide (YWC) have described the recent collaboration between Nigeria and United States of America (USA) as a step in the right direction.
The group congratulated the Nigerian government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the successful collaboration and intelligence sharing with the USA on security and safety of the citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The group made these remarks via a statement signed by the trio of its Vice President, Engineer Adekunle Ogundana, Secretary General, Engineer Stephen Ajayi and Mobilisation Director, J. P. Ade.
In the statement, it thanked the President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump, for his timely intervention in the multi-facet security issues confronting Nigeria.
Reacting to the recent destruction of camps and the neutralisation of ISIS terrorists in Sokoto, the group expressed joy over the collaboration, describing the move as “The beginning and the foundation of peace in Nigeria and its borders.”
The group advised the Federal Government of Nigeria to ensure the protection of lives and properties, “most especially our brothers and sisters in Kogi, Kwara and Edo states,” making particular reference to the Okun people of Kogi state who it said “have been under terrorist attack without any help.”
The statement read: “YWC express their joy on the recent operation should continue until Nigeria is safe and free from terrorism, vandalism by militants and extremist groups.
“Many of the towns/villages have since been deserted due to insecurity. We call for the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency; like all other roads in the country that the Federal Government had commissioned for rebuilding and pay attention to the Ilorin-Mopa-Kabba road which is currently a death trap on which the terrorists ambush travellers. Okun people of Nigeria also deserve than they are being served since 1999.
“They also requested for commensurate security presence in all the communities on the stretch of the road. This is necessary to save innocent citizens avoidable panic attacks and distresses.”
The statement further urged continued international cooperation and called for a harsh crackdown on terrorists.
“The Nigerian government should continue their full cooperation with foreign governments and international agencies for the safety of the citizens of Nigeria especially the Yoruba enclave; and to, with the strongest arm possible, hunt down all terrorist (including all those camouflaging as herdsmen, terrorists’ sympathisers and their advocates or financial negotiators such as Sheikh Ahmad Gumi.
“The group calls on the Federal government of Nigeria to arrest and charge Sheikh Ahmad Gumi with sedition. It was alleged that Sheikh Ahmad Gumi was denied entry into Saudi Arabia due to his alliance with identified terrorist groups terrorising Nigeria.
“His son, Abdurrahman Ahmad Gumi, who recently graduated from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army should also be removed from the Nigerian Army because of conflict of interest.”
The YWC also demanded that sponsors of terrorism face justice.
“The FGN is also advised not to shield any sponsor, sympathiser, negotiator or anyone mentioned in the terrorist/kidnappers network and supply chain. Anyone mentioned in connection with the terrorist must be arrested, publicly prosecuted and made to face the full weight of the law to avenge for the victims.
“We call on the National Assembly to fast-track the passing of the bill for the creation of state police most especially in the South-western states for the safety of life and properties of the Yorubaland and Nigeria in general.”
The group called for justice for displaced persons, stating, “The group also want justice for the displaced persons in the IDP camps. All the illegal occupants (Fulani militias) currently occupying the ancestral land must be driven out and be made to face justice.
“The original owners of the lands in Benue, Plateau and other North Central States must be resettled back on their ancestral lands and their towns/villages re-built through intervention funds.”
It noted that “Open grazing is not completely banned and Yoruba land is still experiencing attacks of deadly herders destroying farms and illegally feeding their cows with farmer’s farm produce even those not ripe for harvest causing great losses to the farmers without justice for the farmers who are the victims.”
The statement also raised an alarm about scavengers, saying, “We also want the Federal Government to review the activities of the scavengers’ scrap collectors/dealers who have also been going about to carry out surveillance and intel gathering for the bandits/terrorists.
“We are calling on security agencies to fish out unscrupulous elements who are disturbing the peace of the people in Nigeria.”
The YWC called for proactive governance, stating: “The Federal Government and all the arms of government should be more proactive in securing lives and properties rather than being reactive, it is not right to wait for the head to be cut off before crying over the hanging and lifeless limbs.
“We hereby call for the deployment of all necessary security apparatus and personnel to secure the territories with adequate intelligence gathering.”
