Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, on Monday alleged that the Sarkin Fulani of Oyo State, Alhaji Salihu Abdulkadir, on many occasions conspired with kidnappers to collect ransom.
Featuring on Rave FM in Osogbo, Osun, during a talk show programme, ‘Frank Talk’, he said: “Those herdsmen “rape my people who can’t pay the ransom.
“They even killed some people who challenged them. This is very unfair.”
- Prove my complicity in Oyo kidnappings – Sarkin Fulani
- UK variant of coronavirus now in Nigeria – FG
Igboho, who had last weekend issued a seven-day ultimatum to herdsmen to leave Ibarapa community of Oyo State following kidnappings and killings, said: “I’ll soon visit Osun, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Ondo and Kwara – anywhere the criminal herders reside – to sack them.
“We shall no longer live like slaves on our land. Many of our people who are abroad can’t come home because their security is not guaranteed.”
He said Yoruba traditional rulers and other leaders in Nigeria were backing his move to sack criminal herdsmen from Yoruba land.
He said: “I have the backing of Alaafin, Ooni, Ataoja, and other kings in the southwest. Some other leaders in the country like Fani Kayode, former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, Femi Falana (SAN) among others are backing my actions.
“I’m receiving support from Amotekun corps, Odua People Congress, hunters… to ensure that we get rid of criminal herdsmen from the southwest.
The Sarkin Fulani denied negotiating ransoms with kidnappers while reacting to media reports that quoted community leaders accusing him of being complicit in the negotiations of ransoms for abductions done by herdsmen.
“I never collected anything from kidnappers or their victims, it is a mere allegation.
“Let them present their evidence. They had been saying this before, and I have responded to their baseless claims on several radio programmes.
“Let them provide the evidence to the police and let police (take action) if it is true.
“I have been aiding the security agencies in tackling kidnapping in the area”, he maintained in an interview with a Daily Trust reporter.