Lagos State Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Alhaji Mutairu Adesina, better known as Akerekoro, has condemned a statement credited to a group, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG).
Adesina described the comments made against the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, on the dastard killings in Igangan, Ibarapa, Oyo State, as unfortunate and a calculated attempt to heat up the polity.
The OPC leader, who spoke in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos,picked holes in the statement credited to CNG,through its spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, whom he described as a featherweight.
He warned the CNG to desist from statements that can worsen the fragile peace in the country.
Giving insights into the statements made by the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland on the Igangan killings, Adesina pointed out that the Yoruba Generalissimo had done the needful by raising the alarm over the massacre in Igangan,and warning the killer bandits to stay away from the southwest.
Adesina said: “Aare would always stand by his words no matter whose ox is gored. That is why he is the Generalissimo of our race. He wouldn’t shy away from speaking truth to power. But let me warn the Coalition of Northern Groups to desist from actions that can set the nation on fire. The Yoruba are worst hit by the Igangan massacre, and no Northern leader has come out to condemn the killings and total onslaught on the town.”
“The massacre was nothing but a declaration of war on the southwest by the north.And nothing more. Those that perpetrated the evil acts decided to unleash the terror on our people simply because we have been so accommodating.The north have taken us for granted,killing and maiming our people at will. Has any Yoruba man or group unleashed terror in the North? No.
“The CNG are heartless, rather than consoling us for the death of over 50 innocent people, destruction of cars,houses,and monarch’s palace, the northern group’s only words were to caution Aare Adams, and making unsavoury statements.”
Adesina warned the northen group and their sponsors to watch their utterances, saying the North had, through the recent killings turned the country to a Banana Republic where life has no value.
“No good leader will take pride in spilling the blood of innocent citizens through killings, banditry and kidnappings. It is only here in Nigeria that a section of the country relishes in killing other sections without blinking an eye.
“CNG needs to understand the implication of its statements against Aare Adams.Do we need any Prophet to tell us that those that perpetrated the dastardly acts are criminal Fulani herdsmen and bandits?.The north has a target, but we will stand against all attempts to destroy or decimate our region. It is the duty of the police to unravel those behind the killings,” he said.
