Worried by the seeming helplessness of security agencies to stem the tide of incessant attacks of communities in Yewaland in Ogun State allegedly by Fulani herdsmen, Senator Solomon Adeola (APC-Lagos West) has threatened to join his kinsmen in self defence.
The Senator, who made the threat in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, said his action in that direction is being fuelled by the inaction of both the Federal and Ogun State Governments to stop incessant attacks of communities in Yewaland by Fulani herdsmen.
Adeola, in the statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Kayode Odunaro, said the latest of such attacks were the ones brazenly carried out in Yewa North, Imeko, Afon, Ipokia and Yewa South Local Government Areas two weeks ago, occasioning several deaths and destruction of property without the authorities stemming the tide.
He said: “Let it be stated that as a representative of the people sworn to uphold the constitution and the laws of the land including the right to self defence, I will not hesitate to join my people in the defence of their rights to life, property and peaceful coexistence with others at the back of seeming failure of duly constituted authorities to defend such fundamental rights against anyone or forces.”
Adeola declared further in the statement that having waited in vain for over two weeks for government’s positive action against what are clearly criminal acts of arson and murders, he is now calling on the Federal Government and the Ogun State Government to rise up to their constitutional obligations of protecting the lives and properties of all Nigerians, particularly the peace loving people of Yewaland in Ogun State.
According to him: “Attacks occasioning several deaths and destruction of properties of law abiding Nigerians in several communities in Yewaland can no longer be glossed over.”
Relevant authorities, he added, must rise up to the challenge, failure of which may make people in the affected communities to resort to self help.
He said: “I recalled that at various occasions on the floor of the Senate I contributed to debates on the deteriorating security situation in different parts of the country and was always agitating for restructuring of the security architecture of the country.
“I made a similar contribution to a Senate wide motion on general security only last week. Now something specific must be done urgently to stop the arson and killings in Yewaland by relevant authorities and security agencies.”
Adeola noted that he is aware that the State Government set up a special committee on the recent ugly situation in Yewaland and elsewhere in the state, but stressed that the body needed to urgently turn in a workable report/solution to the Government to stem the spate of arson and killing against people in Yewaland.
