The Arewa Consultative Forum on Saturday berated the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, for what it considered the latter’s anti-North comment on the abduction of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
ACF was referring to a statement credited to Afenifere warning that if Federal Government failed to stop the Fulani from attacking the Yoruba, it could lead to a situation where the South-West people would be forced to defend themselves.
According to the ACF, it finds the statement absurd and embarrassing for the highly respected Afenifere group to criminalise an entire region, tribe or race because a crime was committed by suspected individuals from that race.
In a statement issued in Kaduna on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, the ACf stated that in 2000 when the Odua Peoples Congress, unleashed terror on the Hausas in Lagos, “ACF never blamed it on the Yoruba.”
The forum also described the statement credited to Afenifere as reckless and unbecoming.
It noted that for the group to brand a whole region as criminals negates the spirit of oneness binding Nigerians.
The statement read in part, “Arewa consultative Forum is embarrassed and disappointed with the communiqué issued by the respected pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere after its meeting of September, 29, 2015 in Akure at the residence of its leader, Pa Rueben Fasonranti, calling on the Federal Government, to abolish nomadic cattle rearing to stop alleged criminal activities by herdsmen.”
“This statement was issued after the kidnap of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and elder statesman Chief Olu Falae by some persons suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
“The communiqué went further to warn that if the Federal Government fails to stop Fulani herdsmen from attacking Yoruba people, it may result in a situation where the South-west people will have to defend themselves.
“ACF considers such statement as reckless and unbecoming of a highly respected group like the Afenifere that chooses to criminalise a whole race or tribe or region instead of the individual criminals.
“Moreover, our law books provide the process of dealing with such suspected criminals rather than arrogating such powers to ourselves. Nigeria has over 250 tribes and Yoruba is just one of them. For it to threaten other tribes just because of an alleged crime of some suspected herdsmen is unnecessary.
“ACF therefore appeals to Afenifere and all other socio-cultural organisations and individuals to always exercise some restrain and show maturity in reacting to situations in view of the complexity of our country.”
Meanwhile, it also expressed sadness over the blasts that rocked Kuje and Nyanya in Abuja on Friday, claiming lives.
“ACF urges all Nigerians to be more vigilant and also share intelligence with the security agencies to avert unwarranted bombings,” it added.
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: editor@punchng.com
from The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper http://ift.tt/1Oc7dq6
via IFTTT
0 comments:
Post a Comment