In another swift response to alleviate the yearnings of the Yoruba speaking states of the Southwest region of Nigeria, the nonpartisan pan-Yoruba NGO, Yoruba Koya Leadership and Training foundation (YKLTF), has resorted to legal action against the region's governors for their nonchalant attitude towards the safety and security of inhabitants of the region.
In a press statement released by Director of Media and
publicity Amb. Demola Sanyaolu the President of the organization, Otunba Giwa
Deji Osibogun said We resolved to take the legal path due to the
seeming lackadaisical attitude of the governors towards the plight of the lives
of citizens in their states.
The plaintiffs in the suit (IB/CS/189/22 filed in Federal High Court Ibadan Judicial division)
included the registered trustees of the Yoruba Koya Leadership and Training
Foundation;
1. OTUNBA AYODEJI OSIBOGUN
2. PROF. BISI SOWUNMI
3. CHIEF (MRS.) RONKE
OKUSANYA
4. SENATOR OLATOKUNBO
OGUNBANJO
5. MR. OLAKUNLE OSUNTOKUN
While the defendants in the suit included all governors and
attorneys-general of states considered to cover the Southwest region of Nigeria
especially the Yoruba speaking areas of ; Edo, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun,
Ondo, Osun and Oyo States.The list is as follows
Ademola Adeleke
Osun State Governor
Oluwarotimi Akeredolu
Ondo State Governor
Babajide Sanwo-Olu
Lagos State Governor
Biodun Oyebanji
Ekiti State Governor
1.
THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF EDO STATE, NIGERIA
2.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF EDO STATE, NIGERIA
3.
THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF EKITI STATE, NIGERIA
4.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF EKITI STATE, NIGERIA
5.
THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF KOGI STATE, NIGERIA
6.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF KOGI STATE, NIGERIA
7.
THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF KWARA STATE, NIGERIA
8.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF KWARA STATE, NIGERIA
9.
THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA
10.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF
LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA
11.
THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF OGUN STATE, NIGERIA
12.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF OGUN STATE, NIGERIA
13.
THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF ONDO STATE, NIGERIA
14.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF ONDO STATE, NIGERIA
15.
THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF OSUN STATE, NIGERIA
16.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF OSUN STATE, NIGERIA
17.
THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF OYO STATE, NIGERIA
18.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF OYO STATE, NIGERIA
Engr. Seyi Makinde
Oyo State Governor
Engr. Dapo Abiodun
Ogun State Governor
AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq
Kwara State Governor
Yahaya Bello
Kogi State Governor
Godwin Obaseki
Edo State Governor
The plaintiffs stated
categorically the reason for the suit is in line with the constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria and in the interest of the people of
the Yoruba ethnic group with absolute rights as provided under the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human
and Peoples Rights to protect themselves and their means of livelihood from
destruction by these foreign/local herders and bandits.
The
plaintiffs also noted that of recent, road travelling through the states
inhabited by the Yoruba people in the states of Edo, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos,
Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo have become dangerous owing to the incessant
kidnapping, banditry and robbery being carried out by these foreign/local
herders and bandits along the highways unchallenged.
In
addition, the trustees, having visited various farming communities in Yoruba
land at personal risks to interview and interact with the farmers and other
inhabitants, discovered that the farmers can no longer go to their farms for
fear of being killed or Kidnapped by these foreign/local herders and life generally
have become very hard, nasty and frustrating to them.
According to Otunba Osibogun, "It will be recalled that
in the past, we made attempt by writing letters and sending emissaries to the
governors which have not yielded results. We have decided to pursue the legal
step to at least ask them to come to the aid of the citizens."
The organization believes that this path will compel the
governors to act promptly and in good faith for the betterment of the masses in
their care.
The organization, in the suit, requests for the following;
a) To compel the defendants to protect the lives, dignities,
personal liberties, as well as freedom from any act of discrimination,
dominion, oppression, by the local and foreign marauding herders, bandits,
kidnappers, who continue to terrorize, maim, rape, kill and kidnap the people
of the said communities (states) daily without inhibition.
b) Declaration that the people residing in all the 9 states
have a right to demand that the defendants
be compelled to protect their communities and their farmlands from the
encroachment and invasion of local and foreign herders, bandits and kidnappers
who have continued to prevent the people of the communities from realizing
their full potentials of enabling environment; favourable to their social and economic development
c) Declaration that the continuous invasion of the Yoruba
ethnic communities in the farmland, roads and other facilities, in the 9 states
mentioned by foreign and local herders, bandits and kidnappers without any lawful
justifiable reasons and the inability of defendants in arresting or combating
the incessant and unprecedented carnage is an antithesis and contravention of
the oath of office, sworn to by the defendants, in pursuant of section 185 (1)
and (2) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended or
any other extant laws.
d) Declaration that the sudden and continuous invasion of
the Yoruba ethnic communities in the 9 states mentioned by bandits, marauders,
kidnappers, rapists and the inability of the defendants taking any step to
combat the invasion and carnage has exposed the Yoruba ethnic group and the
communities to perilous and dangerous situation in contrast to the assurance of
their inalienable rights to be preserved under article 19, 20 and 22 of the
African Charter on Human & Peoples Rights ratification and enforcement act
cap A9 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
e) An order, compelling the defendants to take every lawful
and legal means necessary, to protect their respective communities and their
farmlands from encroachment and invasion of both local and foreign herders,
bandits, kidnappers who have continued to prevent the people of the communities
from realizing their full potentials of enabling environment favorable to their
social and economic development.
The general public will get updated as events unfold. You can visit Yoruba Koya Leadership and
Training Foundation website for information and participation on
www.yorubakoyafoundation.org.
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