OPC Vows to Resist Cattle Colonies in Yorubaland, Lauds Fayose’s Effrontery

A faction of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) under the banner of New Era yesterday vowed to resist the proposed cattle colony in any part of the six states in South-west geopolitical zone of the country.

Its National President, Razak Arogundade, therefore warned the federal government not to tinker with the idea as they would frustrate such plan in any part of Yorubaland.

The group described the proposed cattle colony as alien to the Yoruba land, just as it described it as a system designed to rob the South-west of its land in favour of the Fulani herdsmen.

Arogundade who decried in strong terms Benue State killings by herdsmen and in other parts of the country, lambasted the government for its inability to curtail the excesses of the herdsmen whose atrocities and killing of innocent people have continued unabated.

The statement read in part: “In as much as we believe in one Nigeria; we will not accept any plan by the federal government of Nigeria, to establish cattle colonies in any Yoruba speaking state. The way and manner the Fulani herdsmen are killing innocent people is appalling and very sad. That is why we can never allow such barbarians to have their way through cattle colonies in the South-west.

“The inability of the government through the various security agencies to bring to book Fulani herdsmen who were responsible for the killing of innocent members of the public in Benue State and other parts of the country leaves less to be desired on the part of a government that promised Nigerians justice and equity.

“The utterances and body language of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, on the massacre by Fulani herdsmen in Benue and other states are condemnable. While we know the Emir as a renowned racist, has President Buhari forgotten the oath of office he took while being sworn in?

“Has he forgotten what he told us about himself belonging to everybody and belonging to nobody? From all indications, Buhari has betrayed the trust of majority of Nigerians who voted him into power in 2015.”

Arogundade also commended the efforts of Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose for preventing the invasion of the state by the Fulani herdsmen.

“In as much as it is not in our nature at OPC New Era to commend politicians, Fayose has lived up to the principle of real son of Oduduwa for preventing Fulani herdsmen in Ekiti State. We urge other governors to follow in his footstep,” he added.