In a letter titled “Genocide on The Horizon…” which was addressed to the Secretary General of the United Nations and the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, Yoruba elders under the aegis of Yoruba Council of Elders Europe and America, called for UN intervention in the ongoing herdsmen crisis in the South West of Nigeria.

Below is the text of the letter signed by Elders Michael Olawale Shadare, Michael Olawale Shadare on behalf of the group:

To:

His Excellence
Mr António Guterres (GCC GCL)
Secretary General,
United Nation

To:

United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect
New York, USA

GENOCIDE ON THE HORIZON. CALL FOR URGENT UNITED NATION INTERVENTION IN NIGERIA

The Yoruba Council of Elders Europe and America is using this medium to inform the  United Nations of state of affairs in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the need to intervene urgently to save a situation of potential genocide. Intelligence available points at genocide about to happen on a scale never known before, executed by armed people with logistics back up and positioned strategically around the country.

Urgent and decisive action of the United Nation Secretariat, the United Nations Assembly, and United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect is required to save lives of millions of Nigerians.

Indeed urgent, decisive and far reaching actions by the United Nations are required to prevent what even the world bodies are aware would destabilise the entire region on a scale never known before.

SOME BACKGROUND

Several cases of major assaults and onslaughts against Yorubas have been reported to the  knowledge of Yoruba Council of Elders Europe and America, in which victims narrated their experiences and that of their families in the hands of Fulani herdsmen.

A popular example is the case of Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Nigeria, Chief Olu Falae who suffered financial loss on his invaded farm, was kidnapped with ransome demanded, and with his worker killed following repeated and incessant invasion of his farm by Fulani Herdsmen. 

In March 2018, the Former Minister of Defence in Nigeria, General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) specifically stated that communities attacked by herdsmen in the country need to rise up to defend themselves. He emphasised that it would be suicidal for the people to continue to rely on the armed forces to defend them, and in his words “They (government security forces) collude with the armed bandits that kill people, kill Nigerians; they facilitate their movement; they cover them”.

Former Head of State Chief Olusegun Obasanjo recently in his public speech itemised ongoing agenda of Fulanisation and Islamisation of Nigeria.

The British House of Commons document of 27 November 2018 titled ‘Armed violence against farming communities in Nigeria’ asserted Mrs Hamsatu Allamin, founder of Maiduguri Allamin Foundation for Peace, claims that members of Boko Haram are ready to drop their weapons, but government stakeholders benefiting from the insurgency are deliberately prolonging the terrorism. 

Further the document established that a major cause of this violence is the competition between mainly Muslim pastoralists and largely Christian farmers over land and natural resources (Commons Debate packs CDP-2018-0257).

Same year, Mr Femi Adesina, the Spokesperson for the Presidency, Federal Republic of Nigeria issued a chilling warning in a statement on African Independent Television, referring to Nigerians with ancestral attachment to their land that they can only have ancestral attachment when they are alive.

In a report by Amnesty International titled, “Nigeria: The harvest of death-Three years of bloody clashes between farmers and herders in Nigeria” (December 2018) page 6 of the document summarised as follows:

‘This report documents the violent clashes between members of farmer communities and members of herder communities in parts of Nigeria, particularly in the northern parts of the country, over access to 
resources: water, land and pasture. It also documents the failure of the Nigerian government in fulfilling its constitutional responsibility of protection of lives and property by refusing to investigate, arrest and prosecute perpetrators of attacks. The report shows how government’s inaction fuels impunity, resulting in attacks and reprisal attacks, with at least 3,641 people killed between January 2016 and October 2018, 57 percent of them in 2018 alone’.

Page 7 of the document specified and asserted further as follow
‘Amnesty International found evidence showing that security forces received information about impending 
attacks and in some cases, came in contact with attackers but did nothing to stop or prevent the attacks . 

Amnesty International documented at least seven cases where security forces were aware of attacks but 
did nothing’.

ESCALATION

The actions of the goverment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, still in the same pattern contained in various reports and evidences, continue to fuel a situation where those attacking innocent citizens in effect

• Enjoy advantage of resources and logistics (land, money, radio frequency/communication equipment) from government
• Benefit from inaction of authorities e.g no single person has been prosecuted despite the scale of the killings in the North-Central
• Benefit from wrong rules designed by authorities which makes the innocent citizens additionally weak and vulnerable.

Notably, it was reported in the Nigerian media that the Federal Government of Nigeria planned to give the Miyetti Allah N100 billion naira. While the government denied, the Miyetti Allah later owned up, claiming it had been approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan. It is believed that such resourcing of the herdsmen was a boost to their acquisition of arms and other materials needed for the agenda of conquering the nation. It is of significance that similar payout was not made to the farmers.

In further boost to the campaign of the Fulani herdsmen, and a step which further equip them logistically, including in the coordination of their activities the Federal Goverment of Nigeria announced in May 2019 that it has acquired an amplitude modulation (AM) radio broadcast licence to reach herdsmen across the country, a radio station which would operate on the frequency of 720KHz and would air in Fulfude, a language spoken mainly by the Fulani tribe.

In a dramatic twist that has left Nigerians bewildered, President Muhammadu Buhari announced he has signed an Executive Order, operative from 1 June 2019 withdrawing from Nigerians the licence of all legally issued firearms. This final act has left about 200 million Nigerians under existential threat. The final act that paves way for genocide to commence!

OUR POSITION 

The Yoruba people of South West Nigeria are aware of the attraction that our land generates. This is partly due to the wealth of fertile land that support agriculture, the natural resources, including the access to seaport. For example, so much riches lie in our waters.

Forth-nine of the 195 (approximately 25%) countries of the world are landlocked, yet 8 of the 15 (53%) lowest-ranking countries in the World Human Development Index are landlocked countries. It is a known fact that these countries face structural challenges, face lengthy wait and higher cost of exportation and importation, depend on the peace, commerce and political goodwill of neighbouring countries for passage of goods and suffer from significantly reduced trade.

The gross domestic product of these countries is 40% lower compared to their maritime neighbours. The South West Nigeria is well situated to enjoy all the benefit of a coastal country. Other groups in Nigeria have also expressed concerns and frustration on how the actions of the Federal Goverment of Nigeria has made them vulnerable in the hands of those who target their land and other resources.

The declaration of withdrawal of licenced firearms by Executive order of President Muhammadu Buhari  (himself a Fulani man) has been described by Nigerians as the final call by the Fulanisation Lords to the population targeted for their lands and resources to surrender all legally acquired arms and would be followed by suppression and putting into extinction of millions of Yorubas and other Nigerians. The stakes can not be higher!

CHAPTER VII, Article 51 of the UN Charter, defines that an armed attacks warrants the exercise of right to self-defence. The people of Yoruba land evidently are currently facing armed attacks, by Fulanis, by Boko Haram and with evidence of the backing of people in goverment. It is therefore a breach of fundamental human right that this population at this time would be asked to surrender legally owned arms that would have offered them even the minimum protection.

Nigerians at this present moment are facing IMMINENT DANGER. This state of imminent danger resulted hugely from the actions and inactions of the goverment of Federal Republic of Nigeria that has continued to create atmosphere that equip and embolden bandits while threatening, weakening and disarming innocent citizens.

THE EXECUTIVE ORDER OF PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI IS A BREACH OF RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE, A THREAT TO THEIR EXISTENCE AND SURVIVAL.

The Executive order is in breach of 

• CHAPTER VII, Article 51 of the UN Charter, 
• Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which provides for the right to life.
• Section 258 of the Criminal Code that operates in the Southern part of Nigeria establishing right to self defence and the defence of one’s property.
• Sections 59-60 of the Penal Code that operates in the Northern Nigeria, right to self defence and the defence of one’s property.

An Act by the legislature supercedes any executive order/orders, which is/are just emergency stop-gap directives before proper laws are debated and enacted.

However, while the lower house (House of Representatives of Federal Republic of Nigeria) voted against the executive order on 30 May 2019, the upper house (the Senates of Federal Republic of Nigeria) have not. Failure of the legislature to act may be due current situation in which legislators are lobbying for Speakership and similar offices and thereby currently seeking favour from the executives, particularly President Muhammadu Buhari.

The judiciary have a duty of care here as well, to nullify the Executive order. This again is yet to happen and the current political climate is not encouraging.

Yoruba Council of Elders Europe and America continue to work with all Royal fathers in Nigeria, and all groups representing sections of the country to move to protect lives and properties of 200 million Nigerians.

We call on the United Nation to intervene to prevent the imminent genocide. 

The right to life and self defence is non-negotiable, and we call on the United Nation to stand and defend the principles upon which it is founded

Elder Prince Ademola Adekunle  (PhD, LLM), Coordinating Secretary 
Yoruba Council of Elders Europe and America

Elder Prince Ademola Adekunle (PhD, LLM), Coordinating Secretary
Yoruba Council of Elders Europe and America,

CC: For information and actions as appropriate

The Federal Executive Council, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Speaker,  House of Assembly, Nigeria.

Speaker,  House of Representatives, Nigeria.

Executive Governor, Osun State, Nigeria

Executive Governor,  Oyo State, Nigeria

Executive Governor, Lagos State, Nigeria.

Executive Governor,  Ondo State, Nigeria

Executive Governor,  Ogun State, Nigeria

Executive Governor,  Ekiti State, Nigeria

Executive Governor,  Kwara State, Nigeria

Speaker,  House of Assembly, Osun State, Nigeria

Speaker,  House of Assembly,  Oyo State, Nigeria

Speaker,  House of Assembly, Lagos State, Nigeria.

Speaker,  House of Assembly, Ondo State, Nigeria

Speaker,  House of Assembly,  Ogun State, Nigeria

Speaker,  House of Assembly, Ekiti State, Nigeria

Speaker,  House of Assembly,  Kwara State, Nigeria

The Chairman, Obas Council, Osun State, Nigeria

The Chairman, Obas Council, Oyo State, Nigeria

The Chairman, Obas Council, Lagos State, Nigeria.

The Chairman, Obas Council, Ondo State, Nigeria

The Chairman, Obas Council, Ogun State, Nigeria

The Chairman, Obas Council, Ekiti State, Nigeria

The Chairman, Obas Council, Kwara State, Nigeria

Office of Aare Ona Kankanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams

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