Author: oduduwanews

“I Walked All Night In The Forest, Now In Ogun State”—Seriki Fulani Says After Youths Sets Ablaze His Abode In Oyo

Following the Friday night unrest in Igangan, Ibarapa North Local Government of Oyo State, the Seriki Fulani of Oyo State, Alhaji Saliu Abdulkadir, on Saturday morning, said he trekked through the forest to Ogun State from Oyo State.

He said that many of his family members were shot by the angry youths. He said none of his family members was killed in the fracas.

Abdulkadir further revealed in Ibadan that he, his wives and children were sent out of the settlement by the youths, adding that 11 vehicles and houses were burnt in the process.

He said despite assurance by the police and the people of the state, his house was burnt in the presence of security agents.

He said, “As we speak, we are in the bush. Our cars, numbering about 11, have been burnt. Some of my children sustained injuries, and we are looking for a way to get them to the hospital. My children have left their houses for the bush. We need the government to help us. Police, Operation Burst and other security agencies were there when they set my house ablaze.”

The Inspector General of Police has ordered Oyo State Commissioner of Police to arrest Sunday Igboho and bring him to Abuja.

Confirming the order, Presidential spokesman, Garba Sheu told newsmen in Abuja on Friday.

Shehu reportedly said the IGP informed him of his directive to Ngozi Onadeko, the Oyo commissioner of police, to arrest Igboho and transfer him to Abuja.

Frank Mba, police spokesman, did not immediately respond to newsmen inquiry on the order of the IGP.

Igboho had asked herdsmen in Igangan in Ibarapa north local government area of Oyo to leave within seven days following reports of the killing of some Oyo citizens.

He had blamed herders and Fulanis, including Saliu Kadri, the Seriki Fulani, of being behind the rising insecurity in the area.

The quit notice generated tension in parts of the state, prompting Seyi Makinde, the governor, to ask the IGP to arrest those fomenting trouble under the guise of protecting the interest of Yoruba people.

“For people stoking ethnic tension, they are criminals and once you get them, they should be arrested and treated like common criminals,” the governor had told the police commissioner.

ODUDUWA NEWS has gathered that the Senior Staff Association of Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) have declared an indefinite strike beginning from February 5.

Announcing the decision on Friday in Abuja, the spokesperson of the joint action committee of SSANU and NASU, Peters Adeyemi, explained that the Federal Government has reneged on their October 2020 agreement where all parties agreed to address the issues leading to the strike.

The striking non-teaching staff is demanding that their members be taken off the government’s Integrated Personnel Payroll Information (IPPIS) as well as review the sharing formula for the universities earned allowances between the teaching and non-teaching staff of the universities.

“The joint action committee of SSANU and NASU hereby resolves as follows: That members of NASU/SSANU shall embark on an indefinite, comprehensive and total strike with effect from February 5, 2021,” he said.

“Two weeks’ notice effective from today, Friday, January 22, 2021 is hereby given to the government and relevant stakeholders of this development.

“The October 2020 memorandum of understanding (MOU) resolved that the compliance of SSANU/NASU with respect to IPPIS would be corrected within two weeks.

“But three months after, there has been no correction of these anomalies leading to a high level of restiveness among our members who have been short-changed on account of the problem caused by IPPIS.”

Sunday Adeyemo, an agitator for Oodua Republic, better known as Sunday Igboho, has visited some Oyo communities to confirm compliance of Fulani people with the vacation order he gave last Thursday. 

Speaking with newsmen early Friday morning, he affirmed his decision to visit the communities despite the threats by the Governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde, to arrest him.

In a video shared online, Igboho was well received during his visit to the Igangan community as scores of people converged for his reception.

The people were seen jubilating; dancing and singing. 

Addressing the people, Igboho said, “The Fulani have gone, we have sent them out of our land and they cannot come back again. Kidnappers cannot rule over us, they can’t take over our land from us. It belongs to us; they should stop threatening. 

“Those who live with us peacefully; we are not fighting them but how will a visitor claim one’s house from him. If you live with us in peace, we have no problem with you but if you decide to kidnap and kill us, we don’t want you here. I assure Yoruba people, particularly those in Oyo State, that there is no danger.

“This one we have started here in Oyo State will not end here. We are going to other parts of the South-West. Tell Fulani herdsmen in Ekiti State, Ondo State and Osun States; in fact, in all South-West states that they should get ready for us because we are coming.”

In an interview with newsmen on Friday, Igboho had alleged that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had not brought anything good to the people of the South-West except social vices.

Igboho, therefore, called on the president to take the Fulani out of Yorubaland.

“Buhari should come and evacuate his people from our land, we don’t want them again. They are just punishing the youths; they have turned us to nothing, why? The educated youth don’t have jobs, nothing, the gain now is to kill and kidnap us. We are still on the unemployment issue, we have accepted our fate, should we not be in peace and enjoy security again? It’s enough,” he said.

In the early hours of 19th January, 2021, political party stalwarts and members of Peoples’ Democratic Party PDP thronged in hundreds to grace a year in office, projects commissioning and empowerment programmes embarked upon by the Chairman of Itesiwaju Local Government, Hon. Ojo Bolaji Akintola.

The event which was held at the local government premises had several items such as feedmills, Cash gift, hundreds of 5kg cooking gas, bags of rice, clippers and generator sets distributed by the chairman to empower the youths, women, widows, poultry farmers, market women and men across the ten wards.

The caretaker chairman expressed his gratefulness to Almighty God who made him witness the special occasion and used the medium to welcome all and sundry to the gathering. He opined that the programme was in triplicate, marking of a year in office, projects commissioning, as well as empowerment programmes for the people of Itesiwaju Local Government.

Chairman while speaking at the event used the avenue to commend his great mentor/political father, a seasoned politician, Senator Hosea Ayoola Agboola who according to him has been the brain behind the successful implementation of his activities as chairman.

He said, economic recession that has eaten deep into the fabrics of individuals actually informed his action to bring succour into the families of average citizens of the local government. Hon. Ojo gave kudos to the executive governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde for his unrelenting and immeasurable efforts to ensure the state is crime-free by joining his colleagues in the Southwest to establish Amotekun corps to beef up security in the State. He maintained that he shall be grateful forever for the trust reposed in him to serve his people as such opportunity cannot be forgotten in a jiffy.

He further stated that despite the paucity of fund in the Local Government treasury, the party’s blueprint has always been a guidance which must be fulfilled to meet the four cardinal points of the present administration in the state and local government areas.

The council boss while speaking further used the occasion to narrate parts of his scorecard to the people, he said since the inception of his administration he has been able to ensure that six motorized bore-hole were sunk, one at Baba-Ode, Ona-Iwa Mimo, Koomu, Otu, Okaka and Oke-Amu.

He said, about 141km roads were graded across the local government areas, installation of transformers and connection to National Grid at Baba-Ode, Igbojaye, Oke-Amu and Otu were carried out, free jamb coaching, gifts to babies of the year, relief items donated to the ailing people. He averred that he had touched virtually all sectors especially Agric and health.

In further commemoration of his one year in office, the caretaker chairman, Itesiwaju Local Government, Hon Ojo Bolaji Akintola officially commissioned motorized boreholes sunk for the betterment of his people. He reiterated that his administration within a year had brought rapid development to the council with the provision of six motorized boreholes across the council area including the ones at Jagun Compound, Okaka and Agelu Area. The council chairman emphasized, that his administration will continue to prioritize the youths, widows, aged, vigilante group as well as market men and women among others.

Among the beneficiaries were Ayansola Micheal, Adeagbo jamiu, Adepoju serifat, Oguntayo Elizabeth and Ayandokun Ibrahim among others and they all joyfully thanked the council boss for deeming fit to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic particularly at a time when most of the families had been seriously hit economically.

The council boss however charged the people of his council area to be law abiding and abstain from unlawful acts, capable of hindering the progress of the council and to support Seyi Makinde led-administration with a view to achieving rapid development and benefiting more dividends of democracy in his council.

Among people that graced the events were traditional rulers, PDP political stalwarts, religious leaders, all the caretaker members, directors and units heads.
The event was held on Tuesday the 19th of January 2021 at the council Secretariat Otu.

The association of cattle breeders, Oyo State Chapter has appealed to residents of Oyo State and the administration of Gov. Seyi Makinde to embrace peace while it is finding a lasting solution to menace of banditry and kidnapping in the State. This statement is coming barely a week the Ibadan-born socialite, Chief Sunday Igboho gave a week ultimatum to herdsmen to vacate Ibarapaland.

This was contained in a statement personally signed and released today by Saliu Ibrahim Dende, Chairman Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a Fulani Socio-Cultural Association, Oyo State which reads in part:

“It is no longer news that ugly events witnessed in the Ibarapa region of the state, most importantly Tapa and Igangan, have been such that calls for great concerns. The spate of assaults, kidnapping, maiming, and gruesome killings by some repugnant criminals in the region has given the people of the region the impression that the people of Fulani origin are behind the attacks.

“It is true that every tribe has some criminal elements within them. To this end, it will be unhealthy to tag a whole tribe as criminals based on the bad attitudes of a few of them. As a peace-loving people, we also express our dissatisfaction over the state of insecurity in the region, and the state at large. Insecurity is a threat to everyone, irrespective of their party affiliation, religion, tribe, race, or ethnic group.

“We appreciate the people of the community for the warm reception given to us right from the year we settled down here. The longstanding feelings of mutuality we share should be upheld at this critical moment.
At this point, we want to urge Chief Sunday Igboho to shelve his seeming threat and embrace us with open arms as we harmonize resources and efforts to secure the state. Our collective efforts are needed to restore back the peaceful atmosphere that has always pervaded the community and, by extension, Oyo state.

“We want to restate our commitment to assisting the security operatives in flushing criminal elements out of the region and state just as we have been instrumental to several arrests of kidnappers in the state. In our capacity, we will also ensure that our people are law-abiding and do not go contrary to the established laws and norms of the land.

We equally implore the local governments in Oyo state to frequently hold meetings with traditional rulers, including Fulani leaders to discuss and address farmer/herders clashes”.
Thank you very much.

Barely a week that Ibadan-born socialite, Chief Sunday Igboho issued a week ultimatum to Seriki Fulani and his people to vacate Ibarapaland, and subsequent statement released by Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde warning Igboho to desist from carrying out such order, the Ibarapa youths have come out to lend support to Chief Igboho warning Oyo Govt and FG not to harm him whatsoever.

The youths under the aegis of Ibarapa Youths Consultative Forum led by Comrade Sola Omitogun wondered why the hues and cries about the ultimatum when all their pleas for safety and protection from these violent herders fell on deaf ears.

According to him, none of the Fulani’s side including their Seriki has come out to say that Sunday Igboho had attacked anybody physically.

He stated further that there is no way any true Yoruba sons in general and the good people of Ibarapa area of the state would fold their arms and keep silent in the face of oppression and wanton criminality perpetrated against them.

“Whenever Fulani unleash a reign of terror on us are apprehended, they use Federal might to release them”.

“We are not unmindful of their crocodile tears which they have been shedding when we are attacked. We are making it categorically clear that nothing harmful must happen to Sunday Igboho and that he must not be arrested because he has done nothing wrong.”

Omitogun said that it’s high time Fulani who are causing havoc on all Yoruba land and their sponsors both inside and outside are made to face the full wrath of the law.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), in collaboration with the State Fire Service and other emergency first responders, prevented what could have resulted in a fire outbreak at Ogudu, when operatives of the Agency salvaged an oil spilling Iveco Truck with registration number LSD 155XT, loaded to capacity with 50,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at Ogudu under bridge inward Alapere.

Speaking on the incident, the Director-General/CEO of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, stated that the quick deployment of the agency’s Tiger Unit and the intervention of the State Fire Service prevented the ignition of fire with effective blanketing.

According to him, “The tanker had a leakage in one of its compartments which resulted in oil spillage on the road. The quick recovery of the oil tanker was made possible when the leaking compartment was repaired and the spillage was effectively stopped, enabling the truck to be moved safely off the road to a layby”.

“The timely recovery of the leaking tanker effectively eased the build-up traffic gridlock, which had been managed by the control mechanism put in place, with the diversion of traffic away from the hotspot by combined efforts of LASTMA, LNSC and RRS”, he added.

Oke-Osanyintolu, however, advised residents to exercise extreme caution in the area due to the highly flammable nature of the product, while encouraging motorists to use alternative routes where possible.