Security: Yoruba groups blast Northern Elders on Igboho

The Northern Elders Forum, (NEF) and the Arewa Consultative Forum, (ACF) have been accused of promoting violence and terrorism through what looks like their covert and veiled support for mass killings and kidnapping across the country.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Oodua Nationalist Coalition, (ONAC) warned the two organisations to stop giving the impression that they were behind and providing fund for terrorists in Nigeria.

ONAC, a coalition of many Pan Yoruba groups was reacting to statements issued by NEF and ACF on Monday accusing Yoruba Nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, (alias Igboho) of profiling Fulani.

In the ONAC statement signed by its General Secretary, Mr Adeola Babafemi and Assistant Publicity Secretary Tajudeen Goriola said it is a shame that the two organisations suddenly found their voices after Igboho visited his hometown calling for the release of a pregnant woman and her child that were kidnapped by suspected Fulani armed men.

ONAC said both NEF and ACF were silent, maintaining cold complicity when 160 mostly Yoruba people were killed in Kwara state by suspected Fulani terrorists; they kept quite when four Yoruba traditional rulers were murdered in Yorubaland by their children; went on sabatical when 16 people were abducted at Eda Oniyo in Ekiti State; 46 people including children were kidnapped in Esiele in Oyo State, not to talk of the sacking of 33 Yoruba towns and villages in Kwara and Kogi States.

ONAC said the statement issued by NEF and ACF shows clearly that within them are real or potential terrorist funders and sympathisers whose primary aim is to destabilise Nigeria and cause a state of war.

The group said after ruling directly or through cronies and ruining Nigeria for 46 years out of 66 years of post independence, Fulani leaders are bent on destroying the country or to rule the country by force of arms. It said ACF and NEF are the sanctuaries for retired Fulani military,Police officers or former Ministers and top civil servants adding that their membership of the ethnic associations indicated that while serving Nigeria they were in reality representing and defending Fulani hegemony

‘We are shocked that these organisations made up of reactionary forces and beneficiaries of the Nigerian rot can say that the action of Igboho would lead to anarchy when in reality the two organisations watch with excitement as Fulani unleash terror and anarchy on the rest of Nigerias, killing the young and old, stabbing pregnant women to extract their foestus, raping, invading farms and sacking villages in a savege desperation to impose their political culture on the rest of Nigerians,’ ONAC said.

The group claimed that the NEF and ACF are mere Fulani fronts decorated with the myth of Northern interests. It said the agenda of the groups is to bring down democracy and impose unaccontable, corrupt and dictatorial martial rule in line with Fulani heritage.

‘More than 2million people are in IDP camps in Benue State. More than 50 communities have been sacked in Plateau State by Fulani terrorists. Instead of condeming these acts of terrorism, the two parochial and self serving organisations would rather keep quite. Even when a military coup was staged to overthrow democratically elected government in October 2023, the NEF and ACF maintained the conspiracy of cruel silence.”

ONAC said the Fulani across West Africa have become the most dangerous specie of humanity that humanity detests

The Pan Yoruba group said “The real threats to Nigeria is not Igboho but rabidly corrupt, inept, reactioanary, self-serving fundamentalist so called elders who dominate NEF and ACF, two organisations set up for personal profit, primitive accumulation of personal wealth and for the defense of narrow agenda of Fulani.

‘Your history of political brigandage and prodigal philosophy that is bereft of humanitarian philosophy but defined by loyalty to Fulani Jihad agenda, linked to commercial interests and personal gains were responsible for the tumoil that the Fulani have imposed on Nigerians. Instead of being bold to caution and stem the tide of terrorism, the NEF and ACF are rather looking for infantile excuses by blaming Igboho, ONAC said.

ONAC said the statements by NEF and ACF were provocative warning that the groups should not mistake the tolerance of the South West for foolishness.

‘NEF and ACF are working for the destruction of Nigeria. They are old people using their prime to promote anarchy and blood letting forgeting that whose who sow the wind would reap the whirlwind.”

ONAC listed the murdered Yoruba Obas as Oba Israel Adegoke Adeusi of Ifon, Ondo State murdered in year 2000 was murdered in a Fulani highway ambush, Oba Salman Aweda (Olayinka, Kwara) who died in captivity after being abducted, while Oba Kehinde Falodun (Agamo, Ondo) was killed in his palace after abborted kidnap; while in
2024: Oba Olatunde Samuel Olushola (Imojo-Ekiti) and Oba David Babatunde Ogunsakin (Esun-Ekiti) were killed in a Fulani ambush.

Yet, Oba Olusegun Aremu-Cole, of Ikoro, a retired General was murdered in his palace.

The group asked: what would be your responses if Igboho, or leaders of Pan Yoruba groups invade Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, kill the Emirs, rape their wives, sack many villages, occupy their land, kidnap and behead your people? Will your accept that?”

ONAC said the International community has already labelled Fulani terrorists as one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the world adding that the global rating of Fulani militia as terrorists has nothing to do with Igboho.

ONAC reminded the Northern groups that in 2015, the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) ranked Armed Fulani militants the 4th fourth deadliest terrorist group in the world.

Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa research indicated that between October 2019 and September 2024, ORFA documented 66,656 deaths across Nigeria, of these, 36,056 were civilians. The Fulani Ethnic Militia (FEM) were responsible for a staggering 47% of all civilian killings —more than five times the combined death toll of Boko Haram and ISWAP, which together accounted for just 11% of civilian deaths.