The Yoruba Appraisal Forum has urged security agencies to probe Prof. Banji Akintoye’s claim of alleged plans by some terrorists to attack the South West.
The forum, arising from an emergency meeting in Lagos on Sunday, said the letter by the professor that the entire South West might have been surrounded by terrorists had raised an alarm that might lead to unnecessary upheaval in the region if unverified.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Akintoye, a Second Republic Senator and renowned Historian, had written a letter to South West governors on Wednesday.
In the letter, he alleged that some terrorists were planning to attack the entire Yorubaland with the objective of wrecking the economy of the region.
The forum’s National Coordinator, Chief Adeshina Animashaun, spoke on Sunday with newsmen after a closed door meeting.
Animashaun said: “Government and security agencies should examine Akintoye’s claim thoroughly considering his past utterances and antecedents in support of an alleged secession plan by Yorubaland from the rest of Nigeria.
“Akintoye may know much more than we all think he knows.
“He should be questioned regarding this particular alarm he is raising because his antecedents and utterances as well as those of the members of his group advocating and agitating for secession of the South-West and the disintegration of the Nigerian nation are issues that must be properly examined.”
Animashaun advised youths to be careful of not joining unpatriotic groups in order not find themselves fighting the wrong cause when it would have been too late for them to back out only to have fallen on the wrong side of the law.
“Our youths should avoid being recruited to support and fight the cause of terrorist groups under the guise of agitating for an Oodua Republic or an independent Yoruba nation.”
The YAF coordinator, therefore, advised the Federal Government and governors of the six South West states to ensure the deployment of adequate security agents throughout the region.
He said such would help to forestall plans by any groups of persons or individuals to instigate violence and cause chaos and destruction in the region.
Animashaun also implored all well-meaning Yoruba youths to join hands and rise against terrorism and agitation for secession by any groups or individuals covering up to cause chaos and endanger the lives and property of people of the South West and indeed Nigeria.
“We must all be vigilant and report suspicious movements to the nearest security agencies within our areas,” he said.
He also urged traditional rulers throughout Yorubaland to admonish youths in their domains to eschew violence, crime, and advised parents to also let their wards know the consequences of crime and treason.
“All we want is peaceful coexistence and unity in the South West,” he added.
NAN reports that the meeting was attended by representatives of the forum from Ekiti, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Lagos States.
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