The Serikin Fulani of Oyo State, Alhaji Salihu Abdulkadir on Sunday faulted the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland and the leader of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams over his recent comments that terrorists are hiding in some communities and villages in the state.
The Fulani leader said the statement credited to Adams is unfortunate coming from a person of his calibre, saying there is no iota of truth in the claim.
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Aare Gani Adams recently in an interview with BBC Yoruba claimed that some armed men working for the terrorist organisation, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), are hiding in the thick forests of Ibarapa, Shaki, Oke Ogun and Igbo Ora communities in Oyo State with a plan to launch an attack in the region.
Speaking with Daily Trust on Sunday, Abdulkadir, who is also the President of Jamu Nati Fulbe, the foremost Fulani organisation in the Yoruba speaking area of the South West, said there was no evidence to back up Gani Adams’ claim, stressing that it was further from the truth.
He said a personality of Aare of Yoruba land caliber should not have made such allegation, which he described as not only spurious but another ploy to tag the Fulani herdsmen leaving peacefully in the South West.
The Fulani leader said, “I am the Serikin Fulani in Oyo State and I live at Ibarapa; I have never heard or seen any ISIS terrorist hiding in our communities.
“This kind of comments shouldn’t have come from Aare. I am familiar with the terrain he is talking about; I know the whole of Igbo Ora and Ibarapa and I can tell you categorically that nothing of such exists. Also, there was no report from the security operatives as to the existence of any armed group whether of ISIS or whatever planning an attack.”
