Buhari Should Do More To Save Yoruba States From Insecurity – Oba Lamidi Adeyemi

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, has penned a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari to caution him about rising anarchy in Nigeria if the siege laid to Yorubaland by herdsmen and kidnappers is not stopped.

The Yoruba king blatantly accused Buhari of not doing enough to contain the situation.

He said Yorubaland will resort to self-help if the security in the zone is not enhanced and the peace in their lands is not guaranteed.

His words, “I have never been timid or failed in my total support for the success of your administration. My confidence had always been based on Your Excellency’s ability, fitness and competence in leading the country to the Promised Land, where law and order will prevail, individual liberty is guaranteed and economic wellbeing of the citizens is assured.

“In recent time, however, I am worried about the security situation in the country, especially in the South-West geo-political zone, nay the entire Yoruba-speaking area of the country, including Kwara, Kogi and Edo states.

“This has to do with the menace of Fulani herdsmen that have laid siege to almost all the highways of Yorubaland. Whether in Owo, Akure, Ilesa/Ife-Ibadan road or Ibarapa zone and the Ijebu area of Ogun State, the story is the same.

“I have held a series of consultations with opinion moulders and eminent Yoruba leaders about the menace of these cattle herdsmen with assault such as raping of our women and on some occasions, in the presence of their husbands. That is apart from massive destruction of our agricultural land, which ultimately points to imminent starvation.

“On top of it all is the menace of professional kidnappers usually in military uniforms. What is more worrisome about the kidnapping notoriety is the impunity with which these kidnappers go about their nefarious activities.”

“We cannot even talk of parading suspects because no major arrests have been made in this part of the country. Without arrests, we cannot talk of their facing the law. In the face of the apparent helplessness of our security agencies, where do we go from here?”

“Suffice to say that in most part of Yorubaland, their pre-colonial military structures have not been totally collapsed. Hence, such structures like Odua People’s Congress, Agbekoya and other vigilante groups still exist.”

“Certain individuals were kidnapped along Erio-Aromoko Road, Ekiti State. They were tortured and exposed to danger in the forest for over two weeks. These victims included the Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikole branch, Adeola Adebayo, whose decomposing body was eventually found after a ransom price of N4m had been paid.”