Insecurity: OPC Gives Fulani Herders Seven-day Ultimatum

The Oodua People's Congress (OPC) in Osun State has given the Fulani herdsmen living in the state a seven-day ultimatum to fish out the bad eggs among them in the interest of peace in the state.

OPC, however, expressed readiness to use everything within its reach to tackle the security challenges currently facing the state.

The OPC leader in the state, Alhaji Leke Akintayo, gave the ultimatum during a peace meeting held with the leaders of Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria and Miyetti Allah Castle Breeders Association in Osogbo, the state capital, on Tuesday.

Akintayo, who also sounded a note of warning to Fulani herders who have been engaging in criminal activities such as kidnapping, banditry, robbery among others, to vacate the state immediately or be made to face the full wrath of the law.

Expressing worried on the spate of kidnapping and other form of criminalities in the state, the OPC leader said one of the major objectives of OPC since its creation in 1998 is to protect the lives and property of Yoruba people.

According to him, "We called for this peace meeting to find lasting solution to the issue of security breakdown such as kidnapping, armed robbery and all sorts of criminal activities in the state.

"Over the years, Osun had been adjudged as the most peaceful state in Nigeria until recently when the so-called Fulani herders invaded our land and started kidnapping our people.

"It was quite unfortunate that some unscrupulous elements tried to find their way to the state through their collaborators to lunch attacks on some innocent citizens on some highways in the state, and we will not allow them to destroy our state.

"We would use everything within our reach to ensure that those bad eggs among the Fulani herders are flushed out of the state.

"We are law-abiding group. We are working in collaboration with the police, DSS, Civil Defence and other paramilitary bodies to make sure we curb the menace of insecurity in the state.

"We want to sound a note of warning to these Fulani herders to desist from terrorising our people and  the need for the good among them  to fish out the bad eggs among them with seven days in the interest of peace.

He therefore urged his men to act within the armpit of law, urging them to comport themselves orderly while on duty, saying security issue is very sensitive.

While speaking, Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in the state, Alhaji Abdulahi Alilu, vowed to give maximum support to OPC and other security agencies, promising to co-exist peacefully with the farmers and residents of the state.

Represented by Seriki Soliu,  Alilu said over the years, they had also been victims of the so-called kidnappers.

He promised to work hand-in-hand with the OPC to ensure they fish out those perpetrating the dastardly acts in the state.

Echoing similar view, Public Relations Officer, Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (Fulani Intelligence Squad) and Youth Leader, Ibrahim, promised to support the OPC in their bid to curtail the criminal activities in the state.