. Local vigilance groups, OPC, ‘traditional warriors,’ hunters put on red alert
Following the recent violence that broke out in Igangan, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State over the eviction of herders from the town, some youths and other stakeholders in the Ijebu area of Ogun State have gone into “spiritual preparations” as part of the efforts to resist killer-herdsmen in their communities, FirstNews Online has learnt.
It was gathered that the youths in Ijebuland have vowed to confront killer-herdsmen and others hiding under cattle-rearing to perpetrate crimes, including kidnapping for ransom, in the area.
Findings by FirstNews in various towns in Ijebuland revealed that local vigilance groups and other traditional warriors, including hunters have been put on the red alert to ensure that killer-herdsmen are flushed out of the bushes and forests in the area.
Massive appeasement and consultations with the gods of the land, it was learnt, has begun by the various groups in Ijebuland as part of the ‘war efforts’ in preparation for the impending showdown with criminal herdsmen lurking in the bushes and forests in the area.
FirstNews, however, gathered that the popular J4 forest situated in the Ijebu area has been taken over by suspected killer-herdsmen now using it as a haven for their kidnapping and other criminal activities.
A member of the Oodu Peoples Congress at the Ketu-Epe area, who simply identified himself as Wasiu, said, “We know they are in the forest and we are up to the task to flush them out. We will not wait till they start killing our people. We’ll descend on them to flush them out. We have our father’s traditional weapons that we will use. We must all come together to fortify Yoruba land.”
A herbalist, Ifafunto Odulaja, said traditionalists in Ijebu land are ready to lend their support to Sunday Igboho in his efforts to protect Yoruba land from criminal elements among the Fulani herdsmen.
According to him, “Do you expect us to fold our arms and watch till our people are all dead? This is not Sunday Igboho’s fight alone; it is the fight of every Yoruba man. Our youths have already begun preparations for the task in Ijebuland and we their fathers will not leave any stone unturned.”
Chairman of Omu Eleni Indigenes’ Forum, Ijebu, Abolanle Ogunshehinde, also told our correspondent in an interview that youths in Ijebu land would lend their total support to the Yoruba freedom fighter, Sunday Igboho, to end killings and kidnapping in every part of Yoruba land.
Ogunshehinde, who condemned the killer-herdsmen for wreaking havoc in Yoruba land, said the youths would not wait till their parents are killed and their lands taken over by the marauding herdsmen.
He said, “Who will not be in support of Sunday Igboho to end the killing and kidnapping of our people in Yoruba land by criminals among the Fulani people? No one that says they should not live peacefully on our land, but going to the extent of killing us, raping our women, kidnaping our people is what we will not tolerate.
“The government should understand our cry. Must we wait till we are all dead? Look at how people were killed recently across Yoruba land by the Fulani people. Look at what happened in Ondo, Ibarapa, Yewa and other areas. We the youths in Ijebu are also getting ready to protect our land in this struggle. We will not allow killer-herdsmen on our lands again.
Meanwhile, a video trending online has shown a traditional ruler in Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State, consulting the town’s deity for protection for Sunday Igboho in the struggle to liberate Yorubaland.
In the video, the Oba, who is being led by a herbalist, offers prayers that the freedom fighter will conquer his enemies in the struggle.