Yoruba Monarchs Decry Incessant Killings, Seek Urgent Intervention

•Insist herdsmen attacks responsible for food scarcity

Fidelis David in Akure

Traditional rulers in the South-west region have decried the incessant killing of traditional rulers in the region as well as the maiming of citizens across the country.

The monarchs disclosed this during the maiden edition of Yoruba Security Summit held as a result of insecurity in the South-west and killings of royal fathers in Ekiti and Kwara states.

The summit hosted by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi was held at Ile-ife.

At the end of the summit, a communique was issued and signed by the Ooni alongside other monarchs, including Deji of Akure; Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade; Owa-Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adewole; Akarigbo of Remo, Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, among others.

The monarchs said it was worrisome and embarrassing to receive sad news oftentimes about how traditional rulers and citizens were being kidnapped and murdered.

“The security summit noted that there have been organised systematic attacks on Traditional Rulers and eminent sons and daughters of Yoruba land by suspected herders.

“The summit further noted that the herdsmen attacks have been largely responsible for food insecurity and food scarcity in the South-west because of the organised attacks on farmers who, for fear of attacks, stay away from farmlands.”

It further stated that, “Yoruba people should take full control of their forests, homelands and farmlands. That the Amotekun corps should be strengthened in terms of being given recognition and to be transformed to the status of State Police.

“Motivation, finances, training and retraining of personnel and that those who are familiar with nooks and crannies of our forests should be recruited into the Amotekun.

“Provision of training grounds for its personnel. Provision of adequate budgetary allocations to the Amotekun corps. The summit agreed that a department of Forest Amotekun corps be created.”

Besides, it urged traditional rulers in the region not to abandon the use of supernatural power in protecting themselves and territories against attacks by bandits.

“That the Yoruba, especially the traditional rulers should make recourse to their natural resources including natural powers to combat banditry and kidnapping; that Yoruba Obas should not jettison traditional values.

“That government at all levels should recognise the roles of traditional rulers and factor them into the national security architecture.

“That the entire Obas in Yorubaland should work in unison to ward off the evils of banditry and kidnappings as each of the states could only succeed in chasing the marauders to another state.

It also advised traditional rulers to always uphold and value the custom and tradition of the land.

“That each time an attack took place, the offenders were quickly left off the hook by the powers that be and that the judicial process should be strengthened to mete out appropriate punishments to culprits or bring them to justice.”

It also called on governors of the region to organise Regional Security Summit at the earliest practicable time, including all stakeholders to chart the way forward and give teeth to all the concerns raised at the summit.

It noted that at all times, the traditional rulers should recognise that, in spite of whatever nature of religion they practice, they must recognise that the stool they preside over is traditional.