The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) have cautioned that Nigeria could drift towards anarchy if the Federal Government fails to address the actions of Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, following his reported ultimatum to Fulani leaders in Oyo State over the abduction of a pregnant woman and her family members.
The northern groups, alongside several Fulani associations, accused Igboho of ethnic profiling and warned that blaming an entire ethnic community for the actions of suspected criminals could heighten tensions, trigger reprisals and threaten national unity.
However, Igboho defended his stance on Monday, insisting that his campaign for improved security in the South-West was directed at criminal elements involved in kidnapping, killings, banditry and other violent crimes, not at any ethnic group.
The reactions came as the Oyo State Police Command and the Chairman of Oorelope Local Government refuted reports claiming that the abducted woman, Mrs Kuburat Omowumi, her son and other relatives had regained their freedom. Authorities maintained that the victims remained in captivity while rescue efforts continued.
The controversy arose after a viral video showed Igboho allegedly giving Fulani leaders in the Igboho community of Oke-Ogun, Oyo State, a two-hour deadline to secure the release of the abducted victims.
In the video, he accused some Fulani individuals of involvement in kidnapping activities within the area and alleged that the victims were being held in a forest within the community.
Speaking on the issue, ACF National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, described the ultimatum as unconstitutional, dangerous and capable of worsening the country's security challenges.
He urged the Federal Government, security agencies, traditional rulers and religious leaders to intervene immediately to prevent further escalation.
Muhammad-Baba argued that the ultimatum unfairly portrayed all Fulani people as accomplices to crimes allegedly committed by a few individuals. He noted that there was no conclusive evidence proving the ethnic identity of the kidnappers and stressed that kidnapping had become a criminal enterprise involving people from various ethnic and religious backgrounds.
According to him, associating criminality with an entire ethnic group is counterproductive and ignores the reality that crime cuts across social, ethnic and religious lines. He maintained that criminality has no tribal identity and warned against collective blame.
The ACF spokesperson further questioned the legality of Igboho's actions, stating that neither he nor his associates possessed constitutional authority to issue such directives. He warned that allowing non-state actors to assume security responsibilities could encourage similar actions elsewhere, potentially leading to widespread disorder and insecurity.
Muhammad-Baba also blamed the rise of ethnic activists and self-help security measures on the failure of government to adequately protect lives and property, describing figures like Igboho as products of poor governance, corruption, impunity and official neglect.
The Northern Elders Forum shared similar concerns. Its spokesperson, Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, condemned the kidnapping but insisted that no ethnic group should be profiled because of the actions of criminals.
Jiddere questioned the basis for linking the kidnapping to Fulani people and warned that such narratives could overheat the nation's already tense political environment.
He noted that Fulani communities have themselves suffered greatly from banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling, particularly in states such as Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Kebbi, where thousands of Fulani families have reportedly been displaced.
He also cautioned against stereotyping, stressing that appearances and clothing should not be used to identify criminals. According to him, all Nigerians enjoy equal constitutional rights regardless of ethnicity or religion and should be treated equally under the law.
The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) also criticised the reported threats against Fulani residents. Its National Coordinator, Jamilu Charanchi, stated that while the kidnapping deserved condemnation, crime-fighting efforts should not involve threats, ultimatums or collective punishment.
He stressed that criminal responsibility is individual and that law-abiding Fulani residents should not be blamed for crimes committed by others. According to him, effective security can only be achieved through intelligence gathering, due process and respect for constitutional rights.
In a separate statement on Monday, the coalition also expressed concern over viral videos allegedly showing operatives of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun, profiling, parading and threatening Hausa and Fulani women engaged in legitimate business activities in Ondo State.
The group maintained that insecurity remains a national challenge and should not be linked to ethnic identity. It highlighted the various forms of crime affecting different regions of the country, including terrorism and banditry in the North, separatist violence in the South-East, cybercrime and cultism in the South-West, and oil theft in the Niger Delta.
The coalition rejected what it described as collective punishment and ethnic stereotyping, insisting that no Nigerian should be treated as a suspect based on ethnicity, appearance or place of origin.
It called on the Ondo State Government to investigate the conduct of the Amotekun personnel featured in the videos and sanction any officers found guilty of misconduct. It also urged security agencies in Oyo State to protect all residents, including Fulani communities, while intensifying efforts to arrest those responsible for the kidnapping that triggered the controversy.
Similarly, the National President of Kautal Fulaku Fulbe, Dr. Muhammad Hussaini, condemned the remarks attributed to Igboho, describing them as divisive and harmful to national unity.
According to him, no ethnic group should be held responsible for the actions of a few individuals, adding that no community in Northern Nigeria would order an entire tribe to leave because of crimes committed by isolated persons.
The President of the Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria, Khalil Muhammad Bello, also faulted the alleged ultimatum, saying no individual had the authority to order fellow citizens out of any part of the country.
Bello warned that such statements could create unnecessary tension and misunderstanding, stressing that the Constitution guarantees every Nigerian the right to reside and conduct lawful activities anywhere in the country without intimidation or harassment.
He urged influential individuals to avoid inflammatory comments capable of undermining peaceful coexistence, noting that farmers and pastoralists have coexisted for decades and depend on one another economically.
Meanwhile, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, expressed concern over the worsening security situation in Oke-Ogun and renewed its call for the establishment of state police.
Afenifere's National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, described the persistent kidnappings and killings in the area as disturbing and unacceptable.
He called on the government and security agencies to intensify efforts to end the crimes and secure the release of those still being held captive. Ajayi also urged authorities to accelerate the creation of state police and extend security structures down to the community level, arguing that the continued bloodshed and banditry must be brought to an end.
Responding to criticisms on Monday through a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olayomi Koiki, Igboho maintained that Nigerians, regardless of ethnic, religious or political affiliations, should support government efforts to eliminate criminality.
Reacting specifically to a statement by the Concerned Fulani People of Nigeria (CFPN), which had called on President Bola Tinubu and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to caution him over alleged inflammatory remarks, Igboho described the group's position as misguided and a distortion of the real security challenges facing communities in Yorubaland.
He reiterated that his campaign has never been directed against any ethnic group but against criminal elements responsible for kidnapping, killings, rape and violent attacks.
According to him, his primary concern remains the protection of innocent lives and the promotion of peace, security and justice. He emphasised that criminals should be identified, arrested and prosecuted irrespective of their ethnic, religious or political backgrounds.
Igboho argued that portraying his response to insecurity as ethnic profiling was misleading, particularly when the lives, freedoms and livelihoods of residents in South-West communities were under threat from criminal gangs.
He also commended the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Director-General of the Department of State Services and other security chiefs for their efforts against criminal elements across the country.
While reaffirming his willingness to collaborate with security agencies to improve safety in the South-West, Igboho maintained that ensuring security should not be left solely to government institutions.
He concluded by stating that those calling for sanctions against him should instead support stronger security measures aimed at dismantling criminal networks and securing justice for victims of kidnapping and other violent crimes.
ADEOLA KUNLE
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