Oyo State Chairman of Amotekun Security Corps, Gen. Ajibola Togun (rtd), yesterday, raised the alarm that some foreign Fulani herdsmen and bandits of Tuareg extraction have perfected plans to invade communities in South-West.
Togun, who is a former military intelligence officer, said a large number of their foot soldiers had already infiltrated the region through numerous commercial motorcyclists, pepper traders and carrot sellers, who sell their goods in wheelbarrows.
The Oyo State Amotekun boss, who spoke at a lecture titled “Insecurity: Challenge, Holistic Approach and the Significance of Regional Security Dimensions” at the Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies Students Association (IPSSSA) at the University of Ibadan, said most of the Fulani perpetrating killings and kidnapping are Tuaregs from Mali, Guinea, Chad and other West African countries.
He said: “They were told that Allah has given Nigeria to them as heritage. So, their plans are to take over what they claimed Allah had given them, including Yorubaland.
“There would soon be a problem in the South-West. These foreign Fulani herdsmen would soon come for the purpose of taking over Nigeria. This is because they (Fulani) have the backing of some people in government.
“They have their foot-soldiers among those Okada riders, pepper sellers who ply their trade in wheelbarrows. They have mastered topography in the South-West communities. This is very critical.”
While contending that regional security had to come up because of the Federal Government’s inability to guarantee the security of Nigerians, he said: “There are enemies within. When the South-West governors wanted to establish Amotekun, some Yoruba went to Abuja and advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow it, saying they (governors) would use Amotekun for secession.”
He said that a police officer that is supposed to be working complementarily with Amotekun operatives, was not cooperating, alleging that the police had been unfairly dealing with Amotekun operatives in the state.
