A group of 130 Pan-Yoruba organizations has sent a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, expressing concerns about what they refer to as an impending genocide targeting the Yoruba population in Western Nigeria.
In a letter authored by Popoola Ajayi, the Secretary-General of the Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements, the organizations claimed that a group of militant forces functioning both inside and outside Nigeria was planning to attack Yoruba regions.
The petition referenced the killing of 15 individuals, among them women and children, on September 17 in Oke-Ode, within the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, attributed to suspected Fulani militants.
AYDM characterized the assault as a precursor to broader invasions, claiming that Nigeria’s security forces had been undermined and parts of the political leadership were involved.
AYDM stated that the killing of 15 individuals in Kwara, including women and children, by Fulani militants was a sign of the large-scale incursion into Yoruba areas by well-armed terrorists who are notorious for their hunger for blood and human flesh.
The organization also stated that the Yoruba community has faced over a century of brutality and suffering at the hands of extremists since the 1804 Jihad began, characterizing the recent wave of violence as an extension of the extremists’ goal to force a theocratic regime upon the people, where democracy is regarded as a criminal act.
“The Nigerian security forces are compromised, and a part of the political elite is closely aligned with terrorists, which makes it challenging for the state to resolve the ongoing crisis,” Ajayi warned.
The organizations blamed radicals for following a longstanding plan that originated in the 1804 Jihad, asserting that their goal was to establish a religious state where democracy is considered illegal.
AYDM also highlighted previous crimes, such as the 2020 murder of Oba Israel Adeusi, the Olufon of Ifon; the deaths of other traditional leaders; the Owo Catholic Church massacre on June 10, 2022, which resulted in 40 fatalities; and the 2024 killing of Oba Segun Aremu, the Onikoro of Ikoro, along with the abduction of his wife.
On Sunday, at least15 vigilantesand hunters lost their lives as armed robbers attacked the Oke-Ode village.
Residents informed PUNCH Online that multiple individuals were taken during the assault, leaving the community in deep sorrow.
A video captured by our reporter depicted the corpses of the fallen guards lying on the ground following the attack.
The demands of AYDM to the United Nations
The coalition called on the UN to take action through three measures: pressure Nigeria to adhere to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, guaranteeing justice, democracy, and autonomy, organize an urgent UN Security Council session regarding Nigeria to advocate for reform and self-governance, and examine Ukraine’s alleged support for terrorists in the Sahel, referencing comments from a Ukrainian intelligence representative named Andriy Yusov, whom they say confirmed this involvement.
The groups cautioned that inaction could lead to Africa’s most severe massacre, with repercussions for both regional and global security.
“The Yoruba people value peace and reject violence, yet we will not remain idle as our community is slaughtered. We will protect our heritage with our final breath. The United Nations needs to take immediate action to stop the conflict, rather than after a genocide has occurred,” the statement said.
The petition received support from leaders of multiple Yoruba and associated groups, such as the O’odua Peoples Congress (different factions), O’odua Nationalist Coalition, Okun Peoples Association, Kwara Indigenous Peoples League, Yoruba Artisans and Traders Association, South West Professionals Forum, and more.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
