Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) says Sunday Adeyemo, popular Yoruba activist, is above the Arewa Youths Assembly (AYA).
The group stated this while reacting to the 72-hour ultimatum the AYA gave to Mr Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho, to evacuate Yoruba indigenes residing in the Northern part of the nation.
The AYA issued the ultimatum following a recent proclamation by Mr Igboho that his geo-political zone has seceded from Nigeria. While calling on his people in the North to return home, the activist vowed to reopen locked land borders across the South-West to ensure food sustainability.
In an interview with Sahara Reporters on Friday, the spokesman of the YCE, Kunle Olajide, said Igboho, who made headlines for issuing eviction orders to alleged problematic herders, is above the Northern youths and has the right to say whatsoever he wants but the AYA has no such right to issue the 72-hour ultimatum.
Mr Olajide, who said the ultimatum is nothing to worry about, maintained that as far as Nigerians of other ethnic stock are law abiding wherever they reside, no one had the authority to chase them out from their place of abode unlike the violent herdsmen accused of spearheading insecurity in the Southern part of the country.
“That Arewa Youth Assembly to the best of my knowledge, may not even be a registered organisation. The government may not recognise it. It is perhaps a group of two to five people issuing a statement. This is nothing to worry about,” he said. “We have said frequently that not all Fulani are criminals. And if there are criminals, the government has to find them out and prosecute them. Yes, Sunday Igboho has the right to say whatever he wants to say.
“You cannot ask anybody whether Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani, Igbo, Tiv or any Nigerian to leave a part of the country whether Sunday Igboho or Arewa so far they are living lawfully. But, if they violate the law, then it is the responsibility to call the security agents’ attention to arrest and prosecute,” the YCE spokesman added.
