The Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, has responded to warning by Arewa Consultative Forum, who had earlier said that violence against Fulani communities and herders in Oyo State, is simply a criminal act begging for another Civil War in the country.
The statement was made by ACF's National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Yawe, on Saturday. He warned that the existence of the country is currently at stake if such attacks are allowed to continue.
But Afenifere said it is appalling that the Northern Group which “has never shown any remorse over the killing of our people” is now threatening a repeat of the civil war.
The Afenifere National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, in a statement on Saturday noted that the criminals must be arrested, otherwise “our people cannot sheepishly wait to be killed by those who value cow lives more than human beings.”
Odumakin said, “The attention of Afenifere has been drawn to the hypocritical tears of ACF over the clashes in the Ibarapa LGA of Oyo State occasioned by the inimical activities of Fulani herdsmen against indigenous Yoruba people.
“While we have gone to a great length to sue for peace and have appealed to our pained people to be law-abiding even with the daily provocations of the Fulani and harassment of our people, we frown on the very arrogant and insulting ACF statement, especially their reference to the event of 1966.
“We must make it clear to them that they cannot threaten us with a war at this stage as we will not provoke war but never are we going to run for anybody on our land.
“We are miffed that a body like ACF that has never shown any remorse over the killing of our people can now open their mouths.”