Apparently bothered by the spate of kidnapping in Osun state, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), on Tuesday, held a peace meeting with Fulani herdsmen, advising them to reveal identity of suspects among them.
The security meeting called by the leader of OPC in Osun state, Alhaji Leke Akintayo, popularly known as Olojongbodu, involved the Dan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria and Miyetti Allah Castle Breeders Association.
The OPC leader advised the Fulani herdsmen to reveal the identity of any suspected kidnappers among them within the next seven days, failure of which his men would be forced to use any available means to tackle the criminals.
He warned the robbers and kidnappers to vacate the state before his men would force them out.
The OPC leader, who also expressed sadness over the rate of kidnapping and killings in the state, noted that one of the major objectives of OPC since its creation in 1998 is to protect lives and property of the Yorubas.
“We called for this peace meeting in order to find lasting solution to the issue of security breakdown such as kidnapping, armed robbery and all sort of criminal activities in the state.
“Over the year, Osun had been adjudged to be the most peaceful state in Nigeria not until recently when the so called Fulani herders invaded our land and started kidnapping our people.
“It was quite unfortunate that some unscrupulous elements tried to find their way to the state through their collaborators to lunch attacks on some innocent citizens along some highways and we would not allow them to destroy our state.
“We would use everything within our reach to ensure that those bad eggs among the Fulani herders are flushed out of the state.
“We want to sound a notice of warning to these Fulani herders to desist from terrorising our people and the need for the good among them to fish out the bad heads within seven days in the interest of peace,” he stated.
In his reaction, the Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Alhaji Abdulahi Alilu, who was represented by Seriki Soliu, promised that his men were ready to give necessary support to the OPC and other security agents.
Also, the Public Relations Officer, Dan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (Fulani Intelligence Squad), Mr Muhammad Adam, expressed the readiness of the association to continue supporting any move that would ensure peace and tranquility in the state.
