POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE| GOVERNMEND
Insecurity and the Legal Status of Igboho’s Eviction Order
In the past few days, a name has refused to leave the media for other contending issues. That name is Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho. Chief Sunday Igboho is a Yoruba activist and a secessionist who rose to prominence during the Ife/Modakeke crisis. He is largely described among his contemporaries as a man who detest injustice, of any manner and from any angle.
Unlike the communal clash where Sunday played the local champion role, he has got a more bigger and complicated issue to deal with, this time. The name Sunday Igboho resurfaced and began ringing after the issuance of his eviction order to the Fulani herdsmen in Igangan community, Ibadan. Sunday Igboho gave a 7day ultimatum to all Fulani herdsmen in Ibarapa, a community in Ibadan, Oyo state. The motive for the ultimatum according to Sunday Igboho, was because of the incessant killing, kidnapping, rape and other crimes by some criminal elements among the Fulani herders.
Sunday Igboho didn’t just give the ultimatum as a threat, he was at Ibarapa to chase out the Fulani herdsmen with their leader, Seriki.
The action of Igboho may be philosophical right considering how imperative security is. And, as it’s a matter of fact that when the government fails in its responsibilities to protect lives and properties, people by nature, stand to defend themselves. This is not so ideal as it attracts jungle justice which is a key proponent of anarchy.
On the other hand, the legal implication of Sunday Igboho’s eviction order is that, any man, from any region can stand up tomorrow to send away a whole ethnic group, because of a crime perpetrated by few individuals. It’s against the section 39 and section 41 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, governing our conduct as a country. By constitution, the “jungle justice movement” spareheaded by Sunday Igboho is a punishable offence as it has potential of inciting a much disastrous ethno-religious crisis capable of destroying the fragile unity among Nigerians.
But, do we blame Sunday Igboho? No! Sunday Igboho only unmasked the ugly face of an irresponsible government. The name and activities of Sunday Igboho came as a result of the failure of the government to address the issue of security that has plunged the country into lawlessness.
There’s no better time for the government to wake and address the issue of insecurity, and stop creating problems for existing problems.
Ranches should be made for Northern herdsmen, in all Northern states. Like the governor of Kano, Ganduje said, the government should ban the movement of herders into the South. These and many more are feasible solutions to herders/farmer clash that has morphed to enthno-religious crisis.
Seyi Oyetunbi
