The Pan-Nigerian socio-political group, Afenifere, has voiced its dissatisfaction with the Federal Government’s handling of security in Kwara and Kogi States.
The group, in a recent meeting with delegates from member states, criticised the government’s ineffective response to ongoing attacks by organised herdsmen terrorists in Kwara and Kogi States, suggesting that these attacks are part of a genocidal agenda to impose a specific ideology in the region.
“That the unrelenting attacks by the marauding invaders are in pursuit of an agenda orchestrated by Fulani elites to conquer and occupy territories of other Nigerian ethnic nationalities as a social, economic, and political ideology which must stop.”
In a communiqué signed by HRM Oba Oladipo Olaitan and Prince Justice Faloye, Afenifere highlighted worsening insecurity in these states due to persistent attacks by Fulani terrorists.
The group noted that successive governments have been dominated by these minority invaders, who falsely believe they own Nigeria, which has over 250 million indigenous ethnic nationalities.
“Afenifere declares that the Nigerian state has failed in the primary duty of the collective defence of its constituent nationalities and the protection of life and property of its citizens as the fundamental essence of its existence.
“As is the case in other parts of the Middle Belt, the Fulani marauders have continued to kill and generally make life difficult for the people of Kogi and Kwara States, who can no longer move freely within their territories, and their economy is being strangulated without access to their farms.”
Afenifere also disclosed that reports indicate the Sunday attacks on Oke-Ode and other parts of Kwara South, which recorded casualties, were the height of sufferings to which the people of Kogi and Kwara States have been persistently subjected.
“The overwhelming majority of Kwara State citizens are indigenous Yoruba who speak the language. The people of Kwara South, particularly, have been subjected to permanent attacks, making them desert their homes. The communities include Ologomo, Ajegunle, Agban, Owode, Alasoro, Alawan, Bankole, Oreke, Ganmu, Babanla, Ayetoro, Budo, Arifowomo, Apata Olosun, Oreke Isale, Sagbe, Olohun Tele, Oke-Ode, and Ilu Agunjin.
“The Yoruba-speaking Kogi West Senatorial District has witnessed no respite at the hands of these terrorists in most parts, which include Eruku, Okoloke, Okunran, Egbe, Oke-Ere, Odo-Eri, Ejiba, Idofin, Ife-Olukotun, Itakete-Ide, Isanlu, Otafun, Igbo-Ele, Itakete-Ide, Akutupa, Ofere, Odo-Ape, Obajana, Abugi, Ilafin-Isanlu, Ife-Olukotun, Ponyan, and Igbo-Ele, among others.
“Afenifere condemned in all ramifications these festivals of killings of Nigerians by organised Fulani terrorists and urged the Federal Government to consider it as the greatest assault on the continued corporate existence of the Nigerian state,” it stated.
