OPC Advocates Self-defence against Marauding Herdsmen

James Sowole in Akure

Disturbed by the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari to address how to solve the menace of herdsmen in his Democracy Day broadcast, the National Coordinator of the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC), Mr. Gani Adams, monday advised community to devise means of defending their farmlands and community against destruction.

The OPC coordinator suggested the move at a lecture he delivered at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alagbaka, Akure, the state in commemoration of Democracy Day.

Adams who was visibly unhappy with the president’s lukewarm attitude on the incessant attacks on communities, said collective efforts are necessary to curb the menace.

In the lectured titled; ‘Herdsmen/Farmers Clashes: What implication for inter-ethnic Relations, Nigerian Economy,’ Adams stated that everybody in the communities should be vigilant and resist the invasion of the hoodlums in their areas.

“I won’t say anything more than the fact that every community should be able to defend itself. If you have black power to defend yourself, I don’t see the reason you can not use it when there is a need for you to use it.

“The traditional rulers should look for ways to defend their communities, we can not rely on police again because police has limit to curb the herdsmen attack because they have to defend their jobs,” he said.

He noted the OPC was being tactical in fighting for the interest of the Yoruba race, stressing that the congress had been reformed and had credible citizens as members.

Adams, who blamed President Buhari non committal attitude herdmen’s activities in the South, said the only way out of the security challenge was for the President to implement the recommendation of the 2014 National Conference.
He noted that the matter was one of the issues that was discussed at the 2014 Constitutional Conference even when the destructive activities was not as much as what we have now.

He said recommendation of the conference had proffered solution to the matter among other issues.
“The only way to end this security crisis is for the President to implement the confab report. A good leader should be able to seek ways to develop his country.

“The president should find solution the problem in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country, we are not praying for the break up of this country.”

He said the president should have showed concern for the issue of rising cases of destruction in the Niger Delta due to the economic reasons and that of the Boko Haram because it affected his Northern areas while watching the menace of herdsmen in the South-west.

Adams noted that the economic base of the South-west were being ravaged by the herdsmen and which was already aggravating poverty among farmers.

The guest lecturer joined other in rejecting the proposed grazing reserves creation in parts of the country.
He said acceptance of the proposal was tantamount to invitation of domination of another tribe in the South-west.
“If you accept the grazing reserves, we are inviting another domination of Fulani in the South-west. “