Dapchi schoolgirls: Afenifere says Kidnap, release curious

The Pan Yoruba Socio-political group, Afenifere on Tuesday said that there were more that meets the eyes on the recent kidnap and release of the Dapchi girls.

The group said there was curious drama that surrounded the whole kidnap and release of the girls.

Addressing journalists after the monthly meeting of the group at the residence of its leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti in Akure, the Ondo State capital, Afenifere spokesperson, Yinka Odunmakin said President Muhammadu Buhari and the United Nation must investigate the allegations levelled against the Nigeria Military by former Chief of Army Staff and Minister of Defence, Theophilous Danjuma.

Afenifere described Danjuma’s claims as an eye opener to the fact that there was a state aided-genocide going on in Nigeria at the moment.

The group called for full scale investigation by the Nigerian authorities and the UN.

It said “we ask the United Nations rapporteurs on genocide to investigate what is going on in Nigeria because if this disaster unfolds into full scale war, the international community would have a deep problem on its hands

“They must investigate the genocide and bring the appropriate international sanctions against Nigerians government for promoting and aiding and abetting genocidal conduct by armed Fulani herdsmen across the country. ”

Afenifere also demanded the immediate disarmament of “the exclusive terror machine” in the hands of Fulani Herdsmen and the reorganization of the architecture of security of the country to reflect federal character.

“Meeting noticed the recent comments on ethnic cleansing across the country and the complicity of the Armed Forces by T Y Danjuma. Danjuma was taken seriously because as former Chief of Army staff and Defense minister, he knows and has a deep knowledge of the military and could not have opened his vein.

“Meeting further observed that those even without that kind of knowledge have enough circumstantial evidence to come with that conclusions given the following:

“Thousands of people have been killed in the last three years across the country by the Fulani armed herdsmen without one person prosecuted or brought to book by this government.

“The President and commander in Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari after the January Killings in Benue, advised the governor of Benue state to go and find accommodation for their neighbours, ostensibly their killers.

“The Inspector General of Police, who ordinarily is the chief law enforcer of the country, openly declared that the killings in Benue were communal misunderstanding and that the killers were Nigerians after all.

“The minister of defence also blamed the killings by herdsmen on the fact that their cattle routes had been blocked by farmers.

“At the Senate security sitting early this year, the Director General of DSS declared openly at the summit that most of the sophisticated weapons being used by terror gangs were from the armories of the Nigeria Security Forces and we are putting it in public space for over three weeks they have not done anything on it

“The military in responding to Danjuma allegations claimed they are neutral in the one sided killing that is going on in Nigeria when those who should enforce the law and ensure that the killing is stopped and killers are arrested claimed neutrality and all they are saying is that they have become referees when Nigerians are being slaughtered in droves .

“This is the greatest admission of the fact that the state aided genocide going on in Nigeria when the army begins to claim responsibility.

“The UN must investigate the genocide and bring the appropriate international sanctions against Nigerians government for promoting and aiding and abetting genocidal conduct by armed Fulani herdsmen across the country

“The government that declared IPOB that has not killed one soul as a terrorist group is now making excuses for the Fulani herdsmen, they are driving this country on the road to Kigali,” Afenifere stressed.

The Yoruba group also asked the President to use the same strategy used in securing the release of the Dapchi girls to effect the release of Leah Sharibu and others in Boko Haram captive.

“Leah and other girls in custody, including the Chibok girls that are still outstanding, and the government is doing nothing about it; we call on Nigerians government to do the kind of arrangement that they did that brought back the 101 girls, for Leah Sharibu and the remaining Chibok girls who have been forgotten,” Afenifere said.