Go after separatists in Yorubaland, group tells Police, Army, others

A socio-cultural group, Yoruba Appraisal Forum (YAF) has condemned the recent crisis across the country especially in Yorubaland, accusing the agitators of sinister motives to destabilise the country.

The group, however, asked the Police authority, Army and other security agencies to immediately go after those calling for Yoruba Nation.

In a statement released by the group’s national coordinator, Adeshina Animashaun, Thursday, said intelligence reports at their disposal indicated that “the masterminds of this violence are bent on throwing Nigeria into total chaos to hasten the collapse of governments at both the state and federal levels to enable them to execute their evil plans for Nigeria.

“We want to state that we are aware that those behind the recent violence in different parts of the South-west have a more sinister objective of destabilising the Nigerian nation for the selfish political end of their sponsors and paymasters. They are only merely covering up their agenda with the cloak of fighting for Yoruba freedom and self-determination.

“They are planning to take advantage of the current security challenges in the country to wreak further havoc, starting with the South-West and expecting to instigate reprisals against Southerners in the North with the ultimate objective of destabilising the country.”

The statement urged the police authorities and other security agencies to act and waste no time in going after the hoodlums masquerading as freedom fighters in the South-west.

“We have it on good authority that they have begun to mobilise youths in the region for more violent protests and bloody confrontation with government and security agents, all in their bid to raise tension and create the violent atmosphere for them to take over the properties of non-Yoruba living in the South-West, especially those of the Igbo and Hausa/ Fulani. Their current ethnic profiling of Northerners and campaigns of calumny against Nigerians of the Fulani ethnic stock are aimed at achieving their evil plans.

“YAF want to challenge the security agencies to unmask both the local and foreign sponsors of these agents of violence in our midst and punish them accordingly.

“Yorubaland is still grappling with the unimaginable aftermath of the very violent and bloody October 2020 #EndSARS protests. The large scale destruction in many parts of the South-West is still shocking to many Nigerians, as it remains unprecedented.

“Remember that the huge losses recorded by the South-West in terms of burnt properties were worth trillions of Naira, not to talk of invaluable human lives destroyed, due to the violence that followed the #EndSARS protests. All these still remain fresh in the people’s minds and Yorubaland can no longer afford to lose more to the unpatriotic and evil activities of hoodlums masquerading as freedom fighters and self-determination agitators.

“We, therefore, urge the police authorities to take appropriate and urgent steps to deal decisively with these elements who are bent on fomenting trouble in the South-West. The police and other security agencies should not mind the disguised antics and plans of these shameless and unpatriotic self-styled freedom fighters. It is imperative the police and other security agencies take appropriate actions against them to nip their evil plans in the bud.

“On our own part as YAF members, we want to once again warn sternly that we won’t allow any group or individuals to turn the South-West into a theatre of war. Any Yoruba who has collected money from both local and foreign forces to destabilise the South-West should retrace their steps to avoid the doom awaiting them. Those self-styled Yoruba freedom fighters creating tension by engaging in ethnic profiling and evil propaganda against Nigerians of other ethnic stock living in the South-West should desist. We are already aware of their sinister plans and we have already communicated same to the relevant security agencies for appropriate action in order to save Yorubaland from unnecessary and avoidable violence and chaos.

“The 2023 general elections are just two years away and Nigerians will once again have the opportunity to exercise their franchise to vote in those they want in government and vote out those they are no longer comfortable with. All citizens should be patient and wait peacefully till that time to exercise their voting rights.

“But should they refuse to take this our modest advice to desist from their devilish plans and unpatriotic activities in Yorubaland, they should be prepared to face sanctions and consequences as we will no longer fold our hands and allow them and their collaborators to further destroy the peaceful economic and social well-being of our people while pretending to be protecting our common interests.

“In essence, YAF won’t hesitate to mobilise all our members across Yorubaland to confront those planning another wave of violence in any part of the South-West under the guise of agitating for Yoruba self-determination and freedom, because it is an ill-wind that will blow no one any good.”

The group, therefore, advised Yoruba individuals and groups to have a rethink, “retrace their steps as ‘Omoluabi’ that all Yoruba are known to be, reject the promptings and inducements by their sponsors to continue to thread their path to perdition and destruction that they have set their feet.”

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