Yoruba farmers give quit notice to Fulani herdsmen, threaten war 

Yoruba farmers under the auspices of Oodua Redemption Alliance have threatened to defend themselves against marauding Fulani herdsmen since the federal government has failed to do so.

In a communique issued at the end of a meeting held in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital on Thursday, the farmers said they are conscious of the highest degree of harms the Fulani herdsmen have done to their farms over the decades where their cattle destroy farm crops at will, where they rape their wives and children and kill anybody who dares their will with impurity.

According to the farmers, the killings and destruction has now gotten to an uncontrollable and unacceptable level that an open confrontation or war has now been provoked between the Yorubas and the Fulanis.

They also condemned the idea of the Federal Government contemplating establishing  colonies or grazing reserves for the Fulanis, saying it is a direct ploy to take Nigerians’ lands for the Fulani herdsmen.

“We implore the Federal Government to appreciate these gestures and seize the opportunity by the forelock and so direct all Fulani herdsmen in the country to relocate to Kano and Niger States respectively.”

The farmers said failure to accept these offers, any further incidents of farm destruction or attack on any person of Yoruba extraction in any Yoruba parts of Nigeria covering Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Kwara, Kogi, Edo and Delta States would be given commensurate reprisals.

“We implore all Fulani herdsmen to vacate Yoruba land with immediate effect and relocate to Kano and Niger States or their Northern States of conquest.”

They also commended Mr. Ayodele Fayose, the Ekiti State Governor for being the only Yoruba governor who took the bull by the horns by legislating against the menace of the Fulanis in his State, imploring other Yoruba governors to be courageous enough as to follow suit.

While commiserating with Governor Sam Ortom and the people of Benue state on the attacks by the herdsmen, the farmers said it is time Yoruba farmers protected themselves from the marauding herdsmen rather than wait endlessly for the government.