ACF warns on looming countrywide upheaval over quit notice to Fulani herdsmen

▪︎Threatens reprisal attacks against Yorubas in North

The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, on Saturday, warned that Nigeria might slide into war over attacks on Fulani herdsmen in Southwest zone of the country.

The socio-cultural umbrella organisation for the North called on the Federal Government to specifically stop the attack on Fulanis in Ibarapa area of Oyo State now or it would cause reprisal attacks in the north.

The ACF, in a statement, by its National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Yawe, said that the Forum received reports of an attack by Yoruba youths on Alhaji Saliu Abdulkadir, the Serki Fulani in Oyo State.

It said in the reports, he was attacked and driven out of his house, eleven cars and his house werecburnt with his family members now living in the bush.

The statement said there were allegations that one Sunday Igboho, an agitator for Oodua Republic, who issued an ultimatum giving Fulani people seven days to leave Yorubaland, was the instigator of the attack.

The ACF said that the most disturbing aspect of the attack was the allegation that the security agents who were earlier alerted to the imminence of the attack stood by helplessly as the attack was carried out.

The ACF called on the Federal and State Governments in the South West to move quickly to avert a social upheaval that could destabilize the whole country.

According to the Forum: “We recall that the civil war in the 60s started with attacks and counterattacks like this.

“The governments must be proactive and stop history from repeating itself.”

The ACF said appropriate authorities must apprehend those who carried out the attack.

It insisted that the due process of the law must be followed to address the incident.

According to the ACF: “If this is not done, there may be counter-attacks in the north and the country will be up in flames.

“The authorities must act. The ACF is very worried and calls on them to act fast.”