The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, says it is not surprising that presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, is silent over last weekend’s attack of Igangan, in the Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State by yet to be identified gunmen.
Media Aide to Adams, Kehinde Aderemi, stated this on Wednesday in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH.
According to him, Shehu would have been the first to issue a statement condemning such a heinous act if Northerners were victims of such an attack.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that no fewer than 17 indigenes of Igangan were reportedly shot dead when the hoodlum invaded the town on motorcycles around 11pm on Saturday and started killing and destroying property, which continued until around 3am on Sunday.
The palace of the Asigangan of Igangan, Oba Lasisis Adeoye, was also razed by the gunmen, but the monarch escaped because he did not sleep in the palace.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Ngozi Onadeko, had condemned the attack and urged residents to remain calm and trust the police while promising that those behind the attack would be apprehended.
Reacting to the silence of the Presidency on the attack which has been widely condemned, Aderemi said, “It is very clear that the Federal Government is not even ready to issue any statement regarding the attack. The Federal Government would be the first to condemn such an attack if it had happened in the North or affected Northerners but Garba Shehu as he is, we know where he is coming from, so, we are not expecting any miracle from him. As Aare said in a previous statement, those that perpetrated the act are beating the drum of war in the country.”
“Those killed in Igangan town have their families and friends, there is blood flowing in their veins and in a moment their lives were cut short by killer herdsmen and bandits in their home,” Adams had alleged.
Last weekend attack has been described as a reprisal by killer herders in reaction to their eviction from Ibarapaland following an ultimatum given to them by Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo also known as Sunday Igboho.
Igboho and his supporters had stormed the rustic town in January 2021 and issued an eviction notice to suspected criminal herders residing in Igangan.
The natives subsequently burnt the houses, cars, palace and palace of one Seriki Salihu Abdukadir, who was said to be the leader of the herdsmen in the town. The villagers had accused Abdukadir of complicity in the serial kidnapping, rape, and killings of farmers in the area but the Seriki, who has since moved to Kwara State, denied the allegations.
Credit: punchng.com
