The Yoruba socio cultural body: Igbimo Apapo Yoruba Lagbaye: the umbrella body of Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide and Yoruba Council of Women Worldwide has called for concerted efforts to clear Yorubaland of all criminals and terrorists activities.
The group said the recent security challenges facing many parts of Yorubaland has been collated and analysed with the majority agreeing to short, medium and long term possible solutions of varying dimensions.
The statement jointly signed by the President of the group, Aare Oladotun Hassan and the secretary, Adekanbi Siyanbade insisted that the quest for ensuring internal sanity and protection of all inhabitants of Yorubaland is not negotiable.
The Statement read further, “activities of some dreaded Fulani terrorists and bandits within Yorubaland are hereby condemned all Yoruba people in its entirety. The body being aware of the need for deliberate and cautious actions that will not violate the fundamental rights of any Nigerian capable of snowballing into an unmitigated civil ethnic unrest of any nature supports the efforts of Chief Sunday Adeyemo (Sunday Igboho) and other leaders of thought in Yorubaland towards the attainment of the aforementioned objectives of attaining peaceful coexistence in Yorubaland.”
The statement read in full: “Igbimo Apapo Yoruba Lagbaye hereby call on Yoruba Traditional Rulers, leaders in the various sectors of human endeavour; Politics, religious, business, education, socio cultural, old and young from all the six south western states including Kwara, Kogi and Edo states to come under one umbrella and convene an emergency security summit that will bring the current restive situation under control across all the Yorubaland.
“The current provoking nature of internal security infractions in Yorubaland, especially Oyo and Ondo States calls for the urgent attention of all well meaning Nigerians.
“We then call on the Commander in Chief of the Nigeria Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government of Nigeria to rise up to the responsibility of providing security for the citizens and build a strong public confidence and trust in the Nigeria security apparatus.
“The Yoruba socio cultural body calls on all Yoruba Obas, High Chiefs, Elders, Government Functionaries, great sons and daughters of Yoruba extraction to pray and rally maximum support for the unity of the Yoruba race on combating the current security challenges.
“We as well caution all ethno-tribal leaders and warlords not to see the current Yoruba people’s agitations as a call for war or cowardice rather the need for self awareness and cleansing for peaceful coexistence, cohesiveness and in the Yorubaland in particular and the nation in general.
“We also appreciate and salute the governors of Oyo, Lagos, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo and Ogun states on their relentless sacrifices and monumental commitments towards the unity, peace, growth and development of the Western Nigeria Security Networks- code named: ‘Operation Amotekun’ The effort should be sustained and nutured to serve its purpose.”