A prominent Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, has raised the alarm over what it described as a dangerous influx of Fulani extremists into the South-West region and parts of Kwara and Kogi States, warning that the security of Yoruba communities is under severe threat.
In a statement signed by its Convener, Olusola Badero, and released through its Home Director, Princess Balogun, the group alleged that armed Fulani herdsmen fleeing northern Nigeria are relocating southward, occupying ancestral lands, and seizing control of forests and natural resources.
“We have received intelligence that terrorist Fulani herdsmen leaving the North are migrating to the South-West and taking over our ancestral lands and mineral resources,” the statement said.
The union claimed that the wave of violence has led to widespread displacement, with families forced to abandon homes, sell properties to pay ransoms, and flee for safety. According to the group, kidnappings have become a daily occurrence in several states, leaving communities in fear.
The group also criticised state governments for failing to deploy security votes effectively, arguing that the allocation of funds has not stemmed the rising insecurity.
“Despite security votes, killings and kidnappings have become the business of the day. Vulnerable women and children, alongside their husbands, are being subjected to slavery by Fulani herdsmen who have no regard for human life,” the statement added.
The union questioned the capacity of political leaders to protect citizens, warning that governance loses legitimacy when people cannot live safely in their communities.
It further lamented that poor infrastructure, including unsafe roads and lack of electricity, hampers efforts to respond to attacks and protect lives.
Highlighting the unprecedented nature of the threat, the union stressed that Yoruba communities have never experienced such external domination.
“Yoruba people have never been captured by outsiders in our history. Why are Fulani extremists dispossessing us of our homes and properties without consequences?” it asked.
The group called on all Yoruba stakeholders—including governors, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and citizens at home and abroad—to unite and take immediate action to safeguard the region.
“Our children cannot go to school. Our farms have been seized. Roads are unsafe. The time for collective action is now,” the union warned.
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