BEVERLY HILLS, March 27, (THEWILL) – Northern socio-cultural group, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has urged Yoruba elders not to give ethnic coloration to the crisis that erupted in Ile-Ife, Osun State so as not to deepen the hatred and division among Nigerians.
Some persons and groups in the Southwest have been speaking out against the role played by the police in the clash between indigenes of Ile-Ife and the Hausa community in the ancient town after 20 Yoruba suspects were arrested and paraded in Abuja, with no arrest from the Hausa community.
The Oodua Peoples’ Congress, OPC, through its president, Fredrick Fasehun, accused the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris of bias, tagging him an ethnic jingoist for arresting the hosts in a clash involving resident-settlers. He called for the police chief’s sack “over charges of tribalism and prejudice”.
Reacting to the criticisms in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Muhammadu Ibrahim, ACF warned Yoruba leaders to be cautious in their reactions, reiterating that crime and violence have no ethnic colouration.
It regretted that “subsequent events after the preliminary investigation report of the police into the Ile-Ife crisis, there have been accusations by some Yoruba leaders that the police report was biased, as the suspects paraded by the police were alleged to be mainly Yoruba.”
“ACF’s position in this regard is to appeal to the respected elders of Yoruba not to give unnecessary ethnic coloration to the unfortunate Ile-Ife clash as criminality knows no ethnicity or religion.
“Any slightest disagreement between individuals or groups of persons that are regarded as ethnic or religious tend to deepen hatred and division among Nigerians. Elders are known for their wisdom in settling disputes and not to fan embers of divisions,” the statement read.
