Afenifere, a Yoruba social-political group has asked Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to seek God’s forgiveness over comments he made on security issues in the country.
The group’s call on the Vice President comes on the heels of a security summit convened by South West governors in Ibadan, Oyo State yesterday.
Describing Osinbajo’s comment in New York on Sunday as unfortunate, it said the Vice President’s cheap politicking with the lives of Nigerians “shames the Yoruba people.”
This was said in a statement issued after its General Assembly at the Akure residence of Chief Reuben Fasoranti yesterday, asserting that the Federal Government and security agencies were treating security issues in the country with kid gloves.
“Meeting reviewed the security situation in Yorubaland and was overwhelmed by reports of traumatisation of our people by Fulani herdsmen, kidnappers and militia in the six states of the South West zone, as well as Kwara and Kogi states.
“All the reports provided clear indications of state failure, as security forces have largely become incapable of safeguarding the lives of our people against criminals as none of them has been arrested or tried at the moment,” it said.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Yoruba group, Yinka Odumakin, while speaking with journalists, lamented that the Federal Government has been giving excuses for Boko Haram and Miyetti Allah groups for their crimes against Nigerians.
“It is against this backdrop that the meeting was scandalised by Osinbajo’s opportunistic and provocative utterances in New York in which he dismissed the danger we face in Yorubaland and other zones of the country, as being politically motivated.
“As if he is unaware that we are in a digital world, which explains why America and Britain have issued travel directives to their citizens not travel to more than 2/3 of Nigeria,” he stated.
Odumakin quoted Osinbajo as saying: “With respect to kidnapping… in parts of the country, again, this is not entirely new. In fact, some of the kidnappings… are simply not true anywhere, some are fueled by politics.”
Besides the daily tales of horror across Yorubaland in the hands of the Fulani marauders, Afenifere also queried Osinbajo on the criminal activities that happened in President Muhammadu Buhari’s hometown, Daura.
“Is the report of the kidnap of a District Head from President Buhari’s town from May 1 till date politically motivated? And was the President speaking of another country when he handed kidnappers on rampage to God?
“Was former Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, playing politics when his son was kidnapped? Was it politics when Ondo State Governor recently announced that kidnappers attacked his convoy? it queried.
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The Yoruba elders noted that if Osinbajo could not answer these questions, he should kneel before his God and ask for forgiveness for violating “Thou shall not lie” commandment.
Afenifere also advised Osinbajo not to allow his ambition and political interest to push him to make such infuriating comments as the number two citizen of the country again.
Among other demands, Afenifere insisted that the Federal Government should ensure immediate enforcement of law and order to flush out criminal elements from the country.
