Afenifere, Yoruba sociopolitical group, has described the statement of the Arewa Consultative Forum(ACF) on the brewing crisis in the south-west as insulting and arrogant.
On Friday, some houses inhabited by the Fulani in Igangan, Ibarapa local government area of Oyo state, were torched.
The incident took place after Sunday Adeyemo, a youth leader better known as Sunday Igboho, addressed his supporters in Ibarapa on Friday after a 7-day eviction notice served on herdsmen.
On Friday, the ACF issued a statement that the reported attacks on Fulanis in south-west may trigger another civil war.
The northern group called on the federal government and south-west governors to act swiftly and stop the attacks on Fulani communities in the region.
Reacting in a statement, Emmanuel Yawe, national publicity secretary of the ACF, said such act can cause social upheaval that may destabilise the country.
But Yinka Odumakin, national publicity secretary of Afenifere, said the ACF cannot threaten the south-west with a civil war.
“While we have gone to a great length to sue for peace and have appealed to our pained people to be law-abiding even with the daily provocations of the Fulani and harassment of our people, we frown at the very arrogant and insulting ACF statement, especially their reference to the event of 1966,” Odumakin said.
“We must make it clear to them that they cannot threaten us with a war at this stage as we will not provoke war but never are we going to run for anybody on our land.
“We are miffed that a body like ACF that has never shown any remorse over the killing of our people can open their mouths anyhow now because there are consequences for the irresponsible actions of their people.
“We advise them to call their criminals to order and not expect our people to sheepishly wait to be killed by those who value cow lives more than human beings.
“We do not want a repeat of 1966 event but if there are people plotting such event again, the rain will be over their heads.” Cable
Pix: Yinka Odumakin, national publicity secretary of Afenifere
