The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has taken a swipe at statements credited to Afenifere over the kidnapping of former Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF), Chief Olu Falae by Fulani herdsmen.
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere had made statements that the ACF believes criminalises every Fulani on account of the actions of a few bad eggs, while also stating that Afenifere advocated the banning of nomadic cattle rearing in the country.
ACF described the statements as unnecessary, emotional and contrary to the spirit and letters of the Nigerian constitution, in a statement issued on Saturday.
According to the group, the kidnapping of Chief Olu Falae was a criminal act that should be condemned by all and sundry, but nobody should blame a particular ethnic group for the criminal acts of a few members of the group.
The statement read: “Nigeria has over 250 tribes and Yoruba is just one of them. For it to threaten other tribes just because of an alleged crime of some suspected herdsmen is unnecessary, emotional and contrary to the spirit and letters of the Nigerian constitution which guarantees free movement and association of citizens in any part of the country.”
The statement, which was signed by the National Publicity Secretary of ACF, Mohammad Ibrahim, continued: “It (the ACF) is embarrassed and disappointed with the communique issued by the respected pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, after its meeting of 29th September, 2015 held in Akure at the residence of its leader, Pa Rueben Fasoranti
“In November 2000 when some OPC hoodlums attacked Northerners in the Southwest region, ACF did not blame it on the Yoruba, rather it urged the government to arrest the perpetrators that committed the crime.”
“ACF has in the last six years consistently decried the insecurity situation in the country especially insurgency, kidnapping, ritual killings, armed robbery etc, but it has never blamed a tribe, people or region as responsible for such crimes, talk less of threatening their free movement or pursuit of their legitimate business and livelihood.residential candidate of the joint ticket of APP/AD in the 1999 general election which the North overwhelmingly supported him.
“The unity and peaceful coexistence of our people have always been the guiding principles of ACF in the Nigerian project above personal and emotional interests.
“ACF therefore appeals to Afenifere and all other socio-cultural organizations and individuals to always exercise some restraint and show maturity in reacting to situations in view of the complexity of our country.
“ACF equally calls upon the security agencies to not only intensify their effort in tracking down the kidnappers of Chief Olu Falae but also put in place preventive measures to forestall such frequent ugly incidents in the country.”