The leadership of the Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide (YCYW) alongside other leading Yoruba youth organizations in Yoruba Land has issued seven days quit notice to all Fulani Herdsmen in South West region of the country.
The seven-day quit notice to Fulani herdsmen in Southwest tagged: “Operation Sweep Clean- (Folumo)” would lapse on Thursday, May 30, 2019.
It is widely believed that the herdsmen in recent times have clashed with rural farmers allegedly resulting in death of thousands while Boko Haram insurgents have killed thousands of innocent persons, soldiers and policemen in the Northern part of Nigeria and some parts of South West Region.
A press release signed by Aremo (Barr) Oladotun. Hassan, Founder and President, Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide (YCYW) said “A coalition of all Yoruba indigenous youth and student organizations in Nigeria and in Diaspora, with the sole aim of enthroning rule of law, security of lives and properties, good governance and succinct democratic ethos predicated on Awoism credos and peaceful co-existence of Nigeria.”
The statement noted “Based on this premise, rising from her National Executive Council meeting in Ile Ife on 23rd May, 2019, in view of the recurrent decimal of flagrant brutal killings by the gun-wielding terrorist Fulani Herdsmen/Boko Haram, aggressive invasion and violent attacks and alleged kidnapping of innocent Yorubas and Nigerians domiciled in Yoruba Land, gross violation of fundamental rights to human dignity leading to serial and merciless killings of innocent youths, rising wave of insecurity across the nation in Lagos around Ojokoro, Ibadan to Ife road, Ibadan to Ijebu Ode/Benin Ore road, Ekiti to Akure and other highways kidnappings and robberies, incessant records of brutal ritual killings to mention a few, precipitating our unanimous resolution via final 7 days quite notice to all Fulani herdsmen/Boko Haram to stay off all our territories, towns, villages and highways in all southwest states predicated on the launched mass movement tagged: “Operation Sweep Clean(Folumo)” forthwith.”
According to the statement, “Failure to comply with this final warning shall leave us with no other option than to forcefully clean up and root out all Fulani herdsmen/Boko Haram terrorists in all hiding creeks and forests in the south-west geopolitical zone of Nigeria after 7 days final quit notice to
“Henceforth, we are laconically positing that all residents persons domiciled in the southwest shall be part of this mass movement launch of 20 million man match against the herdsmen terrorists in all southwestern states, wherein a date will be announced upon violation of these warning notice, wherein all our members across all the local governments and communities within southwestern states shall by jointly and simultaneously mobilized to frontally comb and move into all forests, creeks and flashpoints, wherein all cattle breeding and animal husbandry marauding shall be stopped forthwith.”
“Furthermore, after 21 days of persistence of these heinous threats against our people, we shall not hesitate to move against all investments and businesses; ranging from real estate, transportation haulage, oil and gas owned by any Hausa/Fulani extractions within southwest, if this evil persist irreversibly without verifiable interventions from their leaders and heads, we shall summarily shut down all palaces of Hausa/Fulani communities within southwest,” it warned.
“Nigeria, seems to be faced with multifaceted challenges daily, consequently, we have gotten lots of colossal loss of lives and properties from the killer herdsmen terrorist groups, unfortunately, they are yet to be classified as a prohibited Terrorist organization by the federal government of Nigeria.
“Perhaps, it is highly regrettable to note the Federal Government ill-motivated act of comparing the Myetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria to Afenifere and other socio-cultural groups; what a profused insultive, irresponsible and reckless statement from a government under democratic rule, to make matters worsened President Muhammadu Buhari led federal government assured and promised N100 billion to support the herdsmen, when they have not shown any sign of remorse or repentant demeanour,” the statement bemoaned.
“We have it on record that the FG has proven to protect these Fulani herdsmen with additional approval of radio station licencing to Fulani radio station network across the nation.
“Consequently, this is a direct nexus for provoked aggression, anarchy and authoritarianism.
“We are suspicious of some elements who are using the veil of government to launch massive genocidal war against innocent Nigerians, particularly Yoruba people, i.e recently our doctors and professionals are gruesomely killed and brutally maimed.
“Based on live report, we learnt the Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen are feasting around us daily, in over 2,000 creeks forests spread across southwestern states, particularly in the most vulnerable states: Ogun, Ekiti, Oyo, Osun and Ondo States respectively.
“For power, corrupt and absolute powers corrupt absolutely,” it stated.
The statement remarked “We believe, this is the best time to review our unworkable system of government towards the realization of the restructuring agenda, with a prepared vision and hope for a new people’s constitution that guarantees good governance, devolves power and economic resources rights to the Regions/States and Local government units, unfortunately this has not only contributed immensely to our precarious and nebulous status as the poverty capital of the world, but tainted accolades as the worst place to live in on earth.
“What else gives citizens the confidence to thrive, if this stumbling pyramid of daily struggles and resultant double jeopardy remains unabated.
“Based on this premise, we believe charity begins at home, precipitating our clarion call for ‘A Southwest Economic Revitalization and Security Summit’ slated for Thursday, June 27th, 2019 at Mapo Hall, Ibadan, Oyo State by 11 a.m.
“We passionately appeal to all our political leaders, stakeholders, elders, youth organizations, all Yoruba socio-cultural self determination groups and Royal fathers to urgently shun all divisive tendencies and embrace one another, for it is high time we crave with the greatest respect and seek His Imperial Majesty, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr. Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi 111, The Alaafin of Oyo and other Royal Fathers of great reputes.
“Also, we equally call for a closer ranks between Aare Dr Gani Adams, The Aare Onakankafo of Yoruba Land alongside the Agbekoya, Afenifere, ARG, all OPC, OLM, YCWY, YYC, Yoruba Koya, Yoruba Assembly, YSG, VOR, all youth and student leaders to mention a few, while we equally call on all our esteemed captains of industries, philanthropists, professionals, scholars, political gladiators and leaders of thoughts to collectively reason together on the way forward and proffer immediate panaceas to this stalemate.
“For we can no longer guarantee our further safety and economic survival as a nation, due to the aforementioned tribulations and double jeopardy thickly fastly like an evolving time bomb, earnestly waiting for ignition.
“We believe that these similar gestures be transmitted to other regions too, in order to simultaneously and effectively ventilate our age long grudges dispassionately as commons and compatriots.
This will then culminate to the eventual convocation of ‘A National Peace and Security Summit’ to be hosted by President Mohammadu Buhari in Abuja by Thursday 25th July, 2019.
However, firstly we demand for a special Yoruba youth dialogue with President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR being a father and president of the nation, this shall serve as a means of intimating him on all the aforementioned, in order to cross-fertilize ideas on the current state of the nation affairs and other issues of mutual interests, as the nation’s present and future heirs, as well as YCYW being the umbrella body for the Yoruba youths.
We hope this clarion call would constructively summoned our dying consciousness of building and salvaging our nation from imminent total collapse, for canons of war or attrition cannot solve our dreaded ailments, but exploring dialogue as the alternative first aid of getting out of this evil hoods.”
“We believe that no human life is worth to be shed on the altar of mediocrity and quests for power.
“For we must ensure to protect all inhabitants within our territories and by extension all Nigerians nationally,” it added.
