BY AYO ESAN
A top indigene of Yewaland and Governorship Candidate of the African Democratic Congress in the 2019 election in Ogun State, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, has condemned in strong terms, the attack on the people of Igbooro, Oke-Odan, in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
Isiaka said it was correct to say that the Constitution of Nigeria gave everyone the right to live in any part of Nigeria, but added that such provision did not give anyone the right to infringe on other people’s fundamental rights, such as the right to life.
The Yewa stakeholder, popularly called GNI, spoke in an exclusive chat with THE POINT on Sunday.
“The right given by the Constitution that all Nigerians can stay in any part of the country does not mean you should be killing other people or raping them. The Constitution envisaged decent and peaceful communal living,” he argued.
He said he saw nothing wrong in people of the Igbooro, Oke Odan community defending themselves against an attack, noting, “It may be difficult to open your eyes and see your sisters, mothers being raped and your father and mother being killed.
“If you want to defend yourself from being killed, if Government is not doing anything to help you, if you help yourself by defending yourself, I think that is in order.”
On the seven days quit notice allegedly given by a Yewa youth group to the Fulani herders to vacate Yewa North, Isiaka said he was not aware of such quit notice.
He said the Constitution gave every Nigerian the right to reside in any part of the country, especially if he had not committed any crime.
He, however, said if the seven days notice was to put a stop to the killing, maiming and raping of innocent women in the community, it was in order.
“Nobody wants his people to be killed. Also, if they said the Fulani herdsmen should leave the Forest Reserves because we have over 2,000 hectares of land as Forest Reserves in that area, then that is in order, it is backed by the law,” GNI said.
