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The Oodua Peoples Congress, Agbekoya, self-determination groups, and other Yoruba groups have read the riot act, asking terrorists to vacate Yoruba land forthwith.
The convergence of hundreds of stakeholders and individuals of Yoruba land, tagged “Western Nigeria Global Summit on Security and Livelihood, Lagos-Jebba-Warri,” held in Lagos, on Thursday.
The summit was convened owing to what was described as a new war, an invasion of Yoruba land by well-funded terrorists.
It would be recalled that the South-West Governors’ Forum, in February, in Lagos, said it had agreed to establish joint security surveillance to tackle terrorists under the banner of the Islamic State’s West Africa Province.
The move came after Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State raised the alarm of bandits fleeing military operations in the North-West seeking refuge in his state.
At Thursday’s event, chairman of the planning committee, Mr Adewale Adeoye, said the summit stemmed from the frustrations of Yoruba about the unabated killings, kidnapping, rape, water pollution, and herdsmen attacks, with efforts of governments in the South-West in security looking inadequate.
Reeling out statistics of killings and kidnappings in the South-West, the chairman of the event, Mr Wale Oshun, described as worrisome the fact that the incidents and ransom payments happen close to checkpoints of security agencies on the highways.
He reiterated calls for state police as well as more local groups’ involvement in security communities as he noted that the Federal Government seemed overwhelmed in addressing the issues.
The summit demanded that South-West governors recruit real pan-Yoruba groups into the Amotekun, equip its personnel with modern equipment and provide them insurance.
Adeoye, who read the communiqué, also asked that the South-West governors set up an intelligence bureau, an anti-terrorism squad and a training academy to complement the efforts of Amotekun.
“Amotekun should recruit real pan-Yoruba; the governors should equip Amotekun with modern equipment. Also, there is no insurance for Amotekun. The governors should set up an original anti-terrorism squad. There is also the need for an academy for training Amotekun personnel. Local governments should also set up counter-crime corps.
“This is a new war; our land has been invaded, and our land is under siege. Our people have waited for long. Enough is enough. This is a warning to terrorists to vacate Yoruba land. Religious extremists should steer clear of Yoruba land. We will resist attempts to spur unrest and attempt to undermine democracy.”
Speaking on behalf of self-determination groups, Rasaq Oloko-Oba said the South-West governors were not doing enough to safeguard their citizens, noting that it was worrisome that organised attacks were being launched at will across the zone.
Akinpelu Adesina of the Oodua Peoples Congress argued that Amotekun was not effective as envisaged, alleging that this was because the recruitment of its personnel is politicised.
Adesina claimed that the Amotekun in several South-West states do not have an adequate complement of members of the OPC and Agbekoya, calling for the setting up of Amotekun volunteers to assist in ensuring security in Yoruba land.
Other speakers at Thursday’s event, including Mr Tunde Hamzat, alleged that the Fulani perpetrating dastardly attacks in the South-West have Yoruba collaborators.
Hamzat claimed that the zone has been encircled by terrorists, as he called on South-West governors to provide arms for Yoruba self-determination groups to defend the zone.
Other speakers, including Mr Lawal Onikeke, called for the provision of sophisticated weapons for Amotekun while Prof Obayori Femi asked governors of the South-West to desist from handling invasion of the zone by terrorists with kid’s gloves.
But the Director-General, Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, Mr Seye Oyeleye, defended the South-West governors as making several concerted efforts to ensure security in the zone.
