South West Hausa leaders, AYF warn against reprisal attacks over Ife crisis

The leaders of Hausa communities in the southwest have warned their kinsmen in the north not to attack the Yoruba community over the recent bloody clash in Ife, Osun State.

The warning was given by the SarkinShasha and head of Arewa community in the 17 southern states, HarunaMaiyasin, at his palace in Shaha, Ibadan, Oyo State.

According to the Seriki Hausa in the six states, the warning became necessary not to destroy the cordial relationship that had existed between the two tribes over the years.

The meeting resolved that the traditional and business Hausa-Fulani leaders in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti States must travel to their states of origin to dousethe people’s tension.

They also warned those behind the crisis to desist in the interest of peace and unity in the country.

Maiyasin explained: “The meeting was called to brainstorm on how to ensure that the cordial relationship among Yoruba and Arewa community would not be destroyed.

“The two tribes have inter-married and have many things in common. We should not allow the clash to disrupt the peace in the land. The Yoruba are not against the Hausa or Fulani. We should take what happened in good faith.”

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Arewa Matters, Muhammed Bashir Hussein, condoled with the Hausa community.

He explained that the Yoruba were not hostile to them because during the fierce Ife-Modakeke war that claimed many lives, no Hausa or Fulani person was killed. We should not allow intruders to destroy the cordial relationship that we are enjoying among ourselves.”

The Olowu of Kuta and Chairman, Council of OwuObas, Oba Hammed Adekunle Oyelude Tegbosun III, promised that the traditional institution would work with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that such a clash “does not occur again.”

Also, the Arewa Youth Forum (AYF) yesterday appealed to northerners not to avenge the killing of the Hausa in Ife.

The group’s President, Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu made the appeal after their meeting in Kaduna.

Gujungu urged the Federal Government to prosecute those found culpable in the dastardly act, which he described as an “act of lawlessness and rascality which has no place in a democracy.”

He said the prosecution of culprits was necessary to serve as a deterrent to others who might want to resort to violence in resolving their grievances.

He promised that the forum would seek dialogue to protect the Hausa community and their property anywhere they reside in the country.