The National President, Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), New Era,
Comrade Razak Arogundade, has said that the group would resist any
attempt by the Federal Government to establish ‘cattle colonies,’ in
South-Western states.
Arogundade while reacting to the proposed cattle colonies in a
statement obtained by DAILY POST on Friday, condemned government’s
inability to curtail the excesses of Fulani herdsmen whose continued
atrocities and killing of innocent people go unchecked.
He, however, declared that the generality of Yoruba men and women
would resist any attempt to cede a portion of their lands to herdsmen in
the name of cattle colonies.
Arodundade said, “In as much as we believe in one Nigeria; we will
not accept any plan by the Federal Government of Nigeria to establish
‘cattle colony’ in any Yoruba speaking states in the southwest. The way
and manner Fulani herdsmen are killing innocent members of the public
and farmers are appalling and very sad. That is why we can never allow
such barbarians to have their way through ‘cattle colonies’ in the
southwest.
He added that the inability of the government through the various
security agencies to bring to book Fulani herdsmen who were responsible
for the killing of innocent farmers in Benue and other parts of the
country leaves less to be desired on the part of a government that
promised Nigerians justice and equity.
“The utterances and body language of President Buhari and Emir Sanusi
on the massacre by Fulani herdsmen in Benue and other states are
condemnable. While we know Emir Sanusi as a renowned racist; has
President Muhammadu Buhari forgotten the oath of office he took while
being sworn in?
“Has he forgotten what he told us about his popular quote: “I belong to everybody, and I belong to nobody?
“Is the President still reminding us of the sentimental action he
took during the tenure of late Governor Lam Adeshina of Oyo state in
2000, when he led a delegation of his fellow Fulani men to protest the
killing of some Fulani men in Oke Ogun area of the State? From all
indications, President Buhari has betrayed the trust of majority of
Nigerians who voted him into power in 2015.”
Arogundade then commended the efforts of Governor Ayodele Fayose of
Ekiti state for preventing the invasion of Ekiti by Fulani herdsmen.
“In as much as it is not in our nature at OPC New Era to commend
politicians; Governor Ayodele Fayose has lived up to the principle of
real son of Oduduwa for preventing invasion of Fulani herdsmen in Ekiti
state.
He then urged other governors in the region to emulate the decision
of the Ekiti state governor in preventing invasion of their states.
“We urge other governors in all Yoruba speaking states in the southwest to emulate Governor Fayose.”