The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called on Federal and state governments to respond to Friday’s clash between Yoruba and Fulani youth in the Igangan area of Oyo State by arresting those behind it.
The ACF warned that the north might be forced to retaliate if nothing is done about the incident.
The statement reads:
“This morning we received reports of an attack by Yoruba Youths on Alhaji Saliu Abdulkadir, the Serki Fulani in Oyo State.
“In the reports, he was attacked and driven out of his house, eleven cars and his house burnt with his family members now living in the bush.
“There are allegations that one Sunday Igboho an agitator for Oodua Republic and who issued an ultimatum giving Fulani people seven days to leave Yorubaland is the instigator of the attack.
“The most disturbing aspect of the attack is the allegation that the security agents who were earlier warned about it’s imminence stood by helplessly as the attack was carried out.
“The ACF is worried about this trend and calls on the Federal and State Governments in the South West to move quickly to avert a social upheaval that may destabilize the whole country.
“We recall that the civil war in the 60’s started with attacks and counter attacks like this.
“The governments must be proactive and stop history from repeating itself.
“Those who carried out these attacks must be apprehended and the due process of the law allowed to take its course.
“If this is not done there maybe counter attacks in the north and the country will be up in flames. The authorities must act. The ACF is very worried and calls on them to act fast.”
Mr Bako Haruna, Kogi based public analyst however faulted the ACF statement, saying the association has lost any moral authority to condemn violence in other parts of the country when the north it pretends to speak for it riven with violence.
“The ACF would do well to focus its attention on the north, which is fast becoming a classical Hobbesian environment where life is short and brutish.,” Haruna said.