Afenifere, the Pan Yoruba socio-political group on Tuesday, urged Nigerians to prepare and be ready to dislodge President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to put an end to frequent senseless killings of Nigerians in some parts of the country.
The group made this known in a communiqué at the end of its General Assembly in Akure, Ondo State capital. It said Nigerians must see the uprooting of the present administration as a task that must be collectively carried out by them to save the country from further and utter destruction.
National Publicity Secretary of the group, Yinka Odumakin while reading the communiqué of the group after the meeting said; “enough of these senseless killings”
Nigerians must now gird their loins and see the democratic uprooting of this administration as a task that must be done in 2019 so as to save the country from destruction.
“There is no land where the blood of the innocent is being shed daily like Nigeria that can make progress in any area of human endeavour.”
Afenifere strongly condemned the attacks in Plateau State noting that no fewer than 200 people lost their lives during the attack.
Miyetti Allah has been accused of being behind the attacks. It has also issued a statement saying the killings were in retaliation over rustled cattle
On Sunday over 200 deaths occurred according to eyewitnesses’ accounts but the police admitted 100.
Odumakin said “These wanton killings and official irresponsibility portray Nigeria as a barbaric entity and us, the Yoruba people are pained living in the same space with the bestial elements who kill innocent people in a cruel manner.
“The images of little children killed mercilessly with open skulls make anyone with human blood flowing in his or her veins to shrink.”
The group condemned the attitude and response of President Muhammad Buhari to the killings saying “We are further distressed that the response of President Buhari to the murder of hundreds of our citizens did not attract a word of sympathy or regret.
It is very infuriating that the President’s response and that of Miyetti Allah appeared to have been authored from the same laptop.
The Chairman of North Central zone of Miyetti Allah, Danladi Ciroma said the attacks were a retaliation for the loss of three hundred cows and said those who carried out the attacks must be on a revenge mission
“He also said Fulani herdsmen have lost over 300 cows in the last few weeks and since these cows were not found, no one should expect peace in the areas.”
Odumankin said “President Buhari who is also the Grand Patron of Miyetti Allah also described the Fulani herdsmen terror as “herdsmen/farmers” clashes, as a case of two fighting but dead bodies only on one side
“The President used the word “thugs” thrice to describe protesting residents while admitting that human life was becoming “increasingly cheap ” under his watch without saying what he is doing to make it worthy or bring the herdsmen who have admitted killing people to book
“He also repeated the blame game of “desperate people” causing instability and chaos” in furtherance of the vain attempt by the administration to divert attention from Fulani herdsmen responsible for the serial murders.”
Odumakin recalled that the Afenifere some three months on President Buhari conflict of interest in the clashes between Fulani herdsmen and the farmers saying “Afenifere did say that the President is afflicted by conflict of interests as Grand Patron of Miyetti Allah and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“It is the affliction that has seen him now functioning as a Miiyetti Allah godfather at a time he should be presidential. We asked him and we are calling on him to make a choice between the two.
The group called on Nigerians to observe special prayers for the souls of those who were killed and to call on God to “see us through the last few months of this administration.”
The group, however, maintained that restructuring of the country remained the only way out of the challenges confronting the country and called on President Buhari to have a rethink on the restructuring of the country.
The communique read “At a time when the country is on the verge of collapse as a result of structural defects ,we noted that the President while receiving Urhobo leaders on Monday still dismissed the popular call for restructuring of the country when he said “every group asking for restructuring has got their own agenda and I hope it can be accommodated by the constitution
“We say without any reservation to Mr President that the call for restructuring is a selfless call borne out of the need to retrieve Nigeria from the brink of collapse and put It back on track.
“If the President talks about people with personal agenda on restructuring, it can only be those who insert it in their manifestos to win elections and turn around to say they are getting different definitions of restructuring after they came to power. We insist that for the country to move forward and develop, it has to be restructured into a proper federation ”
The group also warned the federal government from using public money to fund ranches saying public fund should not be used for private business while they warned all the south-west governors against such move.
Afenifere said “Meeting rejects the idea of public funded ranches which is an imperialist agenda of cresting Federal Cattle Territories across Nigeria.
“We insist that Cattle rearing is a private business and the government has no business getting involved if there was no sinister.No inch of Yorubaland will be available for such and no Governor should cede any land for such. “
