Kidnapping: OPC issues 7-day ultimatum to herdsmen in Osun

The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has issued a 7-day ultimatum to Fulani herdsmen in Osun state to fish out the criminals among them.

The leader of OPC in Osun state, Leke Akintayo, gave the ultimatum in Osogbo on Tuesday at a peace meeting with the leaders of Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria and Miyetti Allah Castle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).

OPC warned Fulani herdsmen who have been engaging in criminal activities such as kidnapping, banditry, robbery among others to vacate the state immediately or be made to face the full wrath of law.

He said one of the major objectives of OPC since its creation in 1998 is to protect the lives and property of Yoruba people and that the Congress would deal with criminals among the Fulani headsmen.

“We called for this peace meeting in order to find lasting solution to the  issue of security breakdown such as kidnapping, armed robbery and all sort of criminal activities in the state.

“Over the year, Osun had been adjudged to be the most peaceful state in Nigeria not until recently when the Fulani herders invaded our land and started kidnapping our people.

“It was quite unfortunate that some unscrupulous elements tried to find their way to the state through their collaborators to launch attacks on some innocent citizens along some highways and we would not allow them to destroy our state.

“We would use everything within our reach to ensure that those bad eggs among the Fulani herdsmen are flushed out of the state.

“We are law abiding group. We are working in collaboration with the police, DSS, Civil Defence to make sure we curb the menace of insecurity in the state.

“We want to sound a notice of warning to these Fulani herdsmen to desist from terrorising our people and the need for the good ones among them to fish out the bad ones among them within seven days.

Also speaking, the MACBAN chairman, Alhaji Abdulahi Alilu, vowed to give maximum support to OPC and other security agencies, promising to co-exist peacefully with the farmers and residents of the state.

Also speaking, the Public Relations Officer, Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria also known as Fulani Intelligence Squad, Muhammad Adam promised to support the OPC to deal with criminals among Fulani herdsmen in the state.