The residents of Igangan, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo on Sunday have said they are ready to resolve to self-defense going by the unabated attacks they have been unleashing on the people by marauding herdsmen.
The Igangan Youth Forum leader, Mr. Oladiran Oladokun, stated this at the Pentonrise Events Centre, Housing Roundabout, Old Bodija, Ibadan during Majeobaje roundtable discussion on the theme “Stemming The Rising Tide of Insecurity in the SouthWest Region/Rehabilitation of Victims of the Recent Igangan Crisis”.
In his remarks, Igangan Youth Forum leader, Mr. Oladiran Oladokun, said they are ready to resolve to self-defense going by the unabated attacks they have been unleashing on them by Fulani herdsmen as both the Federal and State Governments have failed them at Igangan.
“Bandits, Fulani Herdsmen or whatever you may call them, honestly, we are under an incursion. There is need for us to motivate, educate, coordinate and enlighten ourselves in order for us not to be caught unawares which is one of the take home lessons for this gathering. So, to be forewarned is to be forearmed.
“We’ve been left on our own and we’ve learnt a lot from the incidents as well as this gathering. It’s high timetime we needed to defend our communities. We have cried enough. We will cry no more. Now is time for action,” he said.
Diran further added that the individuals should protect their families as everybody is on his/her own.
“Let everybody protect their territories, there is a coinage which says OYO, On Your Own. I hope we have some governmental stakeholders who have listening ears and not those with deaf ears to act now.
“Nobody should depend on the government at this juncture for protection. We should be on the state of what the Yorubas would call ‘oju ni Alakan fi nso ori’.We are not all safe,” he added.
The leader of the town youth forum suggested that the militia building for protection should start from local communities for maximum protection.
Earlier in his remarks, the Majeobaje movement convener, Chief Akintayo Akin-Deko, made the call for unity of purpose among the people for collective efforts to tackle insecurity.
He condemned the recent attack by suspected herdsmen at Igangan, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo state.
Akintayo said it is time for action to protect the Yorubas.
He said this propelled the activation of Amotekun, vigilante, Agbekoya, OPC groups across the state, saying they should be allowed to carry arms to protect their communities.
“We want to put up a self defense measure, we direly need a united structure just like we wanted it to be for Amotekun to fight insecurity as a group. We’ve been on this for the last three years, but the recent absurd attack on Igangan by the alleged Fulani herdsmen is a catalyst that led to this gathering. Majeobaje has been striving to unite different groups together.
“This fight is against those killing us and not the Fulanis. If you’re a law abiding Omoluabi Fulani, we are ready to protect you with our own lives. Our anger and defense are against non Omoluabi herdsmen killing our people on our land.
He added that the Majeobaje group is ready to fish out the perpetrators of the attack which is not aimed at getting revenge but justice and also to bring the relief to the family members of the victims as well as rehabilitation of the town.
Akintayo also appealed to the Southwest governors to leave the operations of Amotekun outside politics adding that Yorubaland need united and depoliticized Amotekun.
Mr. Wole Oladeji who is the representative of DAWN commssion stated that the governors lack the political will to drive Amotekun. He admonished the people to see security as a collective responsibility.
The meeting had the attendance of Chief Akintayo Akin-Deko, convener of Majeobaje, Mrs. Bosade Ogunlana, Mr. Wole Oladeji, representative of DAWN commission, Mr. Ogunwole Olaniyan, the Oluode of Igangan, Mr. Oladiran Oladokun, the Igangan Youth Forum leader, representatives of Amotekun, Vigilante, Agbekoya, OPC groups and other security agencies.
