• Berate Bauchi gov, Mohammed, over statement on arms bearing
• Buhari urges humanitarian support for victims
• Relatives of deceased cobbler demand justice, scholarship for children
A Coalition of Yoruba groups and organisations in the Diaspora, Yoruba One Voice (YOV), has expressed concern over the breakdown of security in many South-West states, urging massive deployment of security forces in the zone, especially Oyo State, where many innocent citizens were recently killed and displaced following an ethnic conflict in Shasha area of the state.
The Coalition also berated Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, for justifying Fulani herdsmen carrying guns, describing the governor’s statement as despicable and anarchistic of a public official.
In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Dr. Sina Okanlomo, yesterday, YOV said it strongly condemned the violence and provocation in Shasha, adding that the incident might be deliberately designed to subdue the Yoruba nation.
Okanlomo said further that the Shasha incident, like every other ethnic conflict, had the potential of snowballing into another brutal riotous conflict like the civil war.
While urging for a swift homegrown solution to wanton killings in Yorubaland, the YOV leader sought public panel of enquiry to probe the crisis, just as he urged the six governors in the zone to develop an immediate and long-term blueprint on security.
The Coalition said it was in sync with other groups in the South-West to declare the Bauchi State governor personal non-granta in the zone until he withdraws and apologises for his anarchistic statement on herdsmen carrying arms.
MEANWHILE, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide humanitarian support to the affected persons.
Director-General of NEMA, Air Vice Marshall Mohammed Mohammed (rtd), represented by the Director of Relief and Rehabilitation of the agency, Onimode Bandele, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to Oyo State Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan, on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde.
Bandele, accompanied by the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency officials (SEMA), said that the mission was to strengthen the South-West zone of the agency and the state chapter to assess the level of havoc at the Shasha market.
IN the meantime, Alhaji Hamzat and Naajim Adeola, who are elder brothers of Sakirundeen Adeola, the cobbler killed at the Shasha market that triggered the fracas, are demanding justice over the death of their brother.
The duo, who spoke with The Guardian, said their brother must not die in vain.
They said: “We want justice on the matter. The government and other well-meaning Nigerians should have mercy on us. They should look at the condition of the wife and children.
“In whatever form, the government and Nigerians should give money to the family or sponsor the deceased children in school.”
