The ongoing controversy surrounding the quit notice given to the Fulani Herdsmen in some South West state in Nigeria is currently gaining ground.
After some angry youth in Oyo state allegedly burnt down the house of Seriki Fulani of Oyo State, Saliu Abdulkadir, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), however asked the Governors of the South West and the Federal Government, to stop the ongoing attacks on Fulani communities in the region as it may lead to counterattacks in the North and even a repeat of the 1967 civil war.
However, the Pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, has reacted to the statement released by the Arewa Consultative Forum.
In a statement released by its publicity secretary, Yinka Odumakin, Afenifere said its attention was drawn to the hypocritical tears of the AFCF over clashes in Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo State occasioned by the ”inimical activities of Fulani herdsmen against indigenous Yoruba people”.
The group frown at ACF’s comment warning against a repeat of the 1966 civil war, insisting that the group shouldn’t use war to threaten the Yorubas. The statement in part reads.
“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.
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.”
