Yoruba Elders Decry Killings In Nigeria
The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) on Thursday lamented on-going killings in some parts of the country, saying the ineptitude of the security agencies had worsened issues.
The Yoruba elders in a communiqué issued at the end of their 26th national executive council meeting held in Ibadan, lamented that three weeks after the gruesome murder in Benue and other parts of the country no arrest had been made.
“It is alarmed that the leadership of an association Myetti Allah (the umbrella body of Fulani herdsmen) who had openly been issuing threats have not been questioned,” it said.
According to YCE, the kid glove treatment of Myetti Allah speaks volumes about the neutrality of the presidency on this matter.
In the communiqué signed by council’s president, Chief Idowu Sofola, SAN and secretary-general, Dr Kunle Olajide, respectively, it alerted security agencies that kidnapping and armed robbery were on the increase nationwide.
The YCE which noted that a centrally controlled security outfit cannot be effective in a heterogeneous multi cultural country like Nigeria, said the security outfit must be decentralised soonest, an important aspect of the envisaged restructuring.
It expressed believe that the nation’s dysfunctional geopolitical structure was the root cause of its woes.
It added that the situation was further complicated by the wasteful system of government which is not only defective but encourages corrupt practices.
YCE said they are disturbed by the fact that responsible leader and elders from all parts of the country were dissatisfied with the state of the nation.
While noting that delay was dangerous, YCE called on President Muhammadu Buhari, a national Leader to rise to the occasion and make a national broadcast to the people calming frayed nerves, heralding hope and confidence in his administration.
“The nation is definitely pains, the nation is definitely squeaking, the nation is obviously groaning, silence cannot be golden at these times, in fact it will be criminal to keep quiet,” it added.
The YCE elders congratulated Otunba Gani Adams on his installation as the 15th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land and assured him of its support and cooperation in the task to promote and protect Yoruba interests in these challenging times.
