Cosmopolitan socialite, show promoter and publisher of Republic of Ireland based Street Journal magazine, Mogaji Bowale Oluwole Arisekola, has condemned the brutal killing of travelers in Uromi, Edo State.
It is recalled that on Friday, 16 travelers from Northern Nigeria were attacked and killed in Uromi when their vehicle was set ablaze by an angry mob.
Arisekola who is also the National Chairman of Association of Online Media Practitioners of Nigeria (AMPON) was said to be gripped with surprise seeing some northern youths fully armed and advancing towards the South, an environment with history of kidnapping and killing of innocent farmers in their fields, a very challenging situation which have made people in the area to be more vigilant and overly sensitive.
In a statement populated on Arisekola’s social media platform seen by Veracity Desk (veracitydesk.com) on Tuesday, he said there was need to educate the youths that things are no longer as they used to be. He equally noted that situation is now more dangerous and highly sensitive, while also advising that people should be circumspect.
Below is Arisekola’s social media post reproduced hereunder:
16 Kano hunters and the Irate mob in Edo.
But just thinking—how can a group of people pack their bags, arm themselves with guns and cutlasses, travel over 300 kilometers, enter a forest in another state without permission, and start hunting?
- As a citizen of Oyo State, I need a license before entering the forest to hunt.
- How would I even know where to start hunting?
- In a very sensitive area where Fulani herdsmen are killing and kidnapping people, isn’t it dangerous for certain tribes to go there in large groups with guns and machetes?
- How are we sure they are not conducting surveillance?
- How did they get their hunting permits? Or do they have none?
- Even you, reading this message as a Southerner—imagine suddenly seeing a large group of young Northerners in your farm with guns and machetes. What would come to your mind?
We need to educate our youths that things are no longer as they used to be. The situation is now more dangerous and highly sensitive. We must be very careful.
May the young souls whose lives were cut short by the situation in Nigeria continue to rest in peace. And the young Northerners should reconsider traveling in large groups with guns and machetes to volatile and sensitive areas in the southern part of Nigeria.
The kidnapping and killing of innocent farmers in their fields have made people more vigilant and overly sensitive.
Mogaji Wole Arisekola writes from Ibadan.
