The Pan-Yoruba socio cultural organization, Afenifere has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed cattle ranches in the six states of the South West geo-political zone and other Yoruba speaking states.
It said the proposed plan is an imperialist agenda aimed at cresting Federal Cattle Territories across Nigeria .
At its monthly meeting held on Tuesday at the residence of its leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti in Akure, Ondo State, the group cautioned the federal government against imposing any harsh policy on the nation.
In a communique issued at the end of the meeting and read by the national publicity secretary of the group, Yinka Odumakin, Afenifere said cattle rearing is a private business.
It insisted that the Government has no business getting involved if there was no sinister.
The Yoruba leaders said “no plot of land in Yoruba land will be available for such cattle ranch and no Governor should cede any land for such.”
“We are devastated by the genocide that took place in Plateau State on Sunday in which over 200 deaths occurred by eyewitnesses accounts, but the police admitted 100.
“These wanton killings and official irresponsibility portrays Nigeria as a barbaric entity and we Yoruba people are pained living in the same space with the bestial elements who kill innocent people in cruel manner.
“The images of little children killed mercilessly with open skulls make anyone with human blood flowing in his or her veins to shrink. We are further distressed that the response of President Muhammadu Buhari to the murder of hundreds of our citizens did not attract a word of sympathy or regret.
“It is very infuriating that the President’s response and that of Miyetti Allah appeared to have been authored from the same laptop.The Chairman of North Central zone of Miyetti Allah, Danladi Ciroma said the attacks were a retaliation for the loss of three hundred cows.
” The President used the word “thugs” thrice to describe protesting residents while admitting that human life was becoming “increasingly cheap ” under his watch without saying what he is doing to make it worthy or
bring the herdsmen who have admitted killing people to book .He also repeated the blame game of “desperate people “causing instability and chaos” in furtherance of the vain attempt by the administration to divert
attention from Fulani herdsmen responsible for the serial murders.
“Politically, Nigerians must now gird their loins and see the democratic uprooting of this administration as a task that must be done in 2019 so as to save the the country from utter destruction .There is no land where the blood of the innocent is being shed daily like Nigeria that can make progress in any area of human endeavour”.
The Yoruba group also reiterated its call for the restructuring of the country, saying no meaningful development can take place with the present composition of the country.