Facts have emerged on the
rationale behind the lukewarm disposition of governors in the South-West
geo-political zone towards the damning security challenges in the region,
especially the aggression of suspected herdsmen.
Dailypost reports that through
investigation that governors in the zone might not take any definite step in
response to criminality going on in their domains mainly because of covert
political considerations and interests.
A reliable source in the region,
who did not want to be quoted revealed that the consensus among the governors
in the South West on the need to play to the gallery and tactically put any
decisive action on hold was predicated on the political predicament of the
former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.
It was learnt that majority of
Northern political elites were seriously embittered in the manner in which
Fayose stood his ground against open grazing in the state and the attendant
security arrangement put in place to enforce the law against the act of moving
cattle around.
“President Muhammadu Buhari and
his fellow Fulani elite considered Fayose’s courage and resistance against open
grazing in Ekiti then as an affront to their ethnic and economic interest. They
also nurtured the fear that such decisive action could raise the consciousness
of other governors in the South against Fulani herdsmen.
” That was the main reason the
presidency gave massive supports to Governor Kayode Fayemi against Fayose’s
anointed candidate, with huge resources and state apparatus. Let me tell you
this, there is no way Fayose could have won that election for Eleka, the battle
was beyond him, he was unknowingly battling with a strong political bloc led by
the presidency.
“The victory of this cabal in
Ekiti apparently sent a profound warning to governors in the region with
regards to the issue of Fulani herdsmen and their incessant criminal
activities. The governors get security reports on daily basis on the
degenerated security situation in their states. There were suggestions from
stakeholders in the region on better ways to tackle the menace, but these
governors will continue to play politics and do nothing about it”.
Tinubu’s 2023 ambition as a
factor
While the former governor of
Lagos State and National leader of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Asiwaju
Bola Hameed Tinubu has not come out clearly to confirm his interest to contest
for president in 2023, he has rather not outrightly denied the perception in
different quarters that he is scheming and scrambling to become Nigeria’s first
citizen.
Meanwhile, a member of inner
caucus of APC, who is also a leading strategist for the party in Ogun State
confided in our correspondent on
condition of anonymity and
disclosed that Tinubu is more than desperate to succeed Buhari in 2023.
He added that Tinubu, having
realised the intensity of support Buhari enjoys in the core North, coupled with
the voting strength of the region and the culture of power of incumbency in
Nigeria, he considered the President as a major determinant in realising his
presidential ambition.
The source confirmed that the
former Lagos State governor met with the five APC governors from the region
immediately after May 29 to warn them against any activity that could
jeopardize his existing relationship with President Buhari.
According to the source, Tinubu
specifically mentioned the issue of Fulani activities in the South West and
said the President is highly interested in the ” welfare of his kinsmen and
would not be happy if any unwholesome thing happens to them and their cattle “.
He further revealed that despite
the concerns raised by some of the governors over the alarming rate of
insecurity in their states and the consistent allegations against herders of
Fulani extraction, the consensus reached was that there is need to step down
action on the issue and play along.
Allegations on RUGA funds
Another factor, we learnt
was responsible for silence and inaction of governors of the South West is that
the Federal government had indeed mobilised them with millions of dollars in preparation
for the implementation of “autonomous Fulani settlements” popularly known as
RUGA in the region.
The Executive Director of Gateway
Tower, a socio-cultural organisation in Ogun State, Comrade Olabode Adigun said
there were indications that governors from the South West have been compromised
with huge amount of money to acquire expanse of lands in their domains for the
implementation of RUGA.
“We authoritatively gathered that
the idea of RUGA has been on for a long time and that the major target of the
presidency and some Northern elite is the South West because of its forest belt
nature and relative stability in the region.
“In a desperate move to protect
his kinsmen and aid their expansionist tendencies, President Buhari had
contacted a leading member of APC, who is from the region to make this possible
and through him settled the governors.
“The public outcry against the
idea, however, halted the plan, although that would still not make them to act
and flush out killer herdsmen in their states”, Adigun said.
South-West security summit, a
ruse?
A civil society organisation,
Advocacy for Advancement of Peace and Harmony in Africa Initiative, ADAPHAI has
described a security summit organised by South West governors between June 25
and 26 as nothing but a jamboree and “a mere window dressing of insignificant
prognosis “.
The National Coordinator of the
organisation, Comrade Sulaimon Suberu in a chat with our Correspondent
dismissed the summit as an assemblage of clowns and pretenders, who have no
intention to do anything concerning the present threat posed by suspected
Fulani herders to the region other than playing politics.
He maintained that the present
security challenges facing the region have gone beyond rhetorics but a
proactive measure to put an immediate stop to this scourge and protect the
people and the region, saying governors of the region are not doing enough.
Suberu alleged that there is a
conspiracy between the Buhari – led administration and governors in the zone,
which according to him made them to move with a speed of snail and remain
insensitive to the plights of the common people.
“I was not surprised with what
Bola Tinubu said recently in Ondo during his visit to Pa Fasoranti over his
daughter’s death in the hands of suspected Fulani herdsmen, where he was quoted
defending Fulani herdsmen with a lame polemics.
“I know for sure that his host,
governor Rotimi Akeredolu must have hinted him on how Fulani herdsmen held his
convoy to ransom for close to 45 minutes along Ilesa-Akure road but decided to
say what his friends and cohorts wanted to hear in Aso rock, I really pity the
region for celebrating character like this as leader.
“It was the former Prime Minister
of Philippines, Gloria Aroyo, who once said that one of the greatest litmus
test of a good leader is ability to be at the forefront leading, at the middle
inspiring, and at the back defending the interest of his followers, but in this
case, the reverse is the case “.
Meanwhile, the Aare Ona Kakanfo
of Yoruba land, who also doubles as the head of Odua People’s Congress, Iba
Gani Adams has exposed the hypocrisy of South West governors during the said
security summit.
He flayed them for ignoring his
letters and calls to take proactive steps in checking the excesses of rampaging
herdsmen before it degenerated to the level where innocent people were being
killed and abducted in the region.
Point blankly, he called the
governors by their names and explained how he made attempts to call their
attention to the menace of the cattle breeders.
He said: “Nobody can take Yoruba
land or constitute nuisance in South-west because Yoruba have been living
peacefully for the past 120 years, so the incursion of criminally minded people
will no longer be accepted.
“History will not forgive any
south-west governor that gives land to herdsmen for the breeding of their
cattle because the issue of insecurity is now overwhelming.
“We are not only talking about
south-west alone, we are talking about everywhere Yoruba live, including Kogi
and Kwara states. All hands must be on deck to curb insecurity because the
progress of Yoruba land should be a collective effort of all of us.”
Other stakeholders react
The Head of Harmonised Vigilante
Group in the South West, Alhaji Rilwan Hussein Yahasalam has called on
governors of the South-West states to be vigilant and proactive in the face of
damning security breaches in the region.
He said the state of kidnappings
and banditry presently in all the states that make up the political zone
requires utmost vigilance and quick action.
Yahasalam, in a statement made
available to newsmen recently expressed concern over the general insecurity
around the country and recent security threat in the South West.
He said the incessant cases of
criminality in many communities of the region, which often attribute to Fulani
herdsmen indicate that there is new dimension to the security architecture of
the region, which must be taken seriously to avert terrible occurrence.
According to him, the recent
cases of abduction and violent robbery on highways within the South West have
practically instil fear in many people, especially businesswomen and men,
including farmers, who have almost abandoned their farms for the fear of being
kidnapped or maimed by suspected Fulani herders.
“We are having serious security
situation at hand, our communities are no more safe due to criminal activities
of bandits and kidnappers suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
“The hitherto sleepy and peaceful
region is now gradually becoming volatile and delicate, while political leaders
in the region pretend as if nothing is happening.
“It is not in doubt that things
might get worse if political leaders in the region continue to maintain this
attitude and fail to act fast, the situation is indeed degenerating.
“A professor at Obafemi Awolowo
University, who was abducted recently along Ife-Ibadan road specifically
mentioned Fulani herdsmen as his abductors, in which over N5m was collected as
ransom.
“It is the in the same route that
two officials of Federal Road Safety Corps were kidnapped and ransomed paid
before they could secure their release.
“It was also reported that over
30 armed herdsmen on Sunday blocked the section of Ilesa-Akure express road at
Erinle, shooting sporadically until security operatives in the convoy of one of
the governors in the region came to dislodge them.
” It is disheartening that all
these are happening in the zone and no single arrest has been made. This issue
is seriously affecting the socio-economic life of the people in the region, and
a great danger for the country at large “, the statement read.
Yahasalam, however, added that
although the Police and other security agencies are making efforts to nip the
situation in the bud, there is need for collaborative efforts towards fighting
crime from other non-state actors, especially local vigilante groups.
He recalled how such state of
insecurity surfaced in the 90s and early 2000, in which the intervention of his
group, in collaboration with security agencies eventually curbed the menace.
“We have had a situation similar
to this in the past, where suspected Fulani herdsmen were waylaying people
along Gbongan-Ibadan road, it was the concerted efforts of Police and our group
that put stop to that criminality.
“So, now that there is a new
dimension to security breach in the region, with more sophistication in their
operation, the government must look inward to tackle the current challenge with
more vigour”.
In the same vein, a retired
military personnel, Major Ishola Adelegan has berated governors in the region
for degenerated security situation in the zone. He argued that not much has
been achieved by the helmsmen in the area of securing the zone.
Adelegan frowned at what he
called ” long rhetorics with short substance”, saying the governors must learn
to speak less and act more.
“I was taken aback when I heard
the OAU professor speaking on how he was abducted and the identities of his
abductors, with level of their sophistication and gut.
“Cases abound on how these
criminal elements have subjected our people to inhumane treatment and bestial
condition, yet some lunatics are busy defending them for obvious selfish
political interest.
“I wonder how a sane leader will
listen to what the professor said and other tales of horrors going on in the
region, with the latest gruesome murder of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, the Afenifere
leader’s daughter and still have the boldness to defend such criminality.
“It is my hope that governors in
the region will act fast and put every political consideration aside before it
is too late “, he resorted.
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