Afenifere: Owo Killing is Terrorism against South West

*Warns against siege to Yorubaland 
Deji Elumoye in Abuja 

The pan Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has described the Sunday attack on a Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, as a terrorism act against the south western part of Nigeria bordering on a declaration of war.

It then called on the six governors in the geo-political zone to declare three days of mourning for the victims of the carnage.The group in a release issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, recalled that it was in this same vicinity, Owo, that Olufunke, daughter of its Leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, was killed by Fulani bandits in 2019 just as many other acts bordering on terrorism got daily reported in Ondo State and other parts of Yorubaland.It said: “The attack with sophisticated weapons where people gathered to worship is one of the most heinous acts that could ever be committed especially since we are not in a state of war. Going by the extent of the damage and the systematic way that the massacre-like action was carried out, it was clear that the act was planned far ahead with the seeming imprimatur of trained gunmen.”

Afenifere maintained that the carnage in Owo  occurred because of the kid-glove manner with which the federal government and its agencies in charge of security have handled similar occurrences in other parts of the country in the recent past.

It emphasized that what is happening now is an attestation of the warnings given months ago by the group’s acting Leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, that Yorubaland has been surrounded by armed militia.
The release quoted Pa Adebanjo as challenging the federal government to act decisively on this issue of insecurity if it is not behind it.

“With what happened in Owo, the Yorubas are being provoked into war because they know that the land had been infiltrated and surrounded by armed militias”, Pa Adebanjo was quoted as saying. The group was however quick to add that any attempt to unleash any mayhem in Yorubaland would be resisted saying Oodualand was never conquered and it will not be conquered now. He then warned those who may be nursing such a thought to perish it immediately and toe the line of peace and harmonious co-habitation.

According to Afenifere: “Much as we tried to resist the temptation, it is a bit difficult not to read some political meanings to the carnage in Owo. It is on record for instance, that Governor Akeredolu is in the frontline of the vanguard insisting that Presidency must come to the Southern part of the country come 2023. And from all indications, this agitation is about to bear fruit. He, Akeredolu, is also uncompromising in his refusal to let herders and bandits take over Ondo State, or any part of Yorubaland from the indigenes.

The timing and contour of the attack made it difficult not to argue that the Owo carnage was more than ordinary.”It stated that Nigerians and well-meaning people across the world are wondering why the government and security agencies that could hunt such individuals like Gana, the Tivman in Benue, arrest Nnamdi Kanu, and invade Sunday Igboho’s house with fatal consequence have found it difficult to tame those making life miserable for Nigerians and those trying to take over indigenous lands by force.

Afenifere therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari to act decisively now so that the little strands tying Nigeria together will not snap.