YWG calls for justice, condemns killing of innocent Yorubas in Jos

A socio-cultural organisation in Nigeria, Yoruba Welfare Group has called on the Federal Goverment and the Inspector General of Police to ensure all those involved in the killng of innocent Yorubas in Jos, Plateau State are brought to book.

It also condemned the barbaric and profile killing of innocent Yoruba Muslims.

Twenty two (22) unarmed Muslim travellers were brutally killed by a Christian militia group at Rukaba, Jos, Plateau State on Saturday, 14th August, 2021. The attack began around 9.28 am.

The victims had attended the annual dhikr prayer in Bauchi State and were returning in convoy of five vehicles to Ikare, Ondo State when they were waylaid by the notorious Irigwe militia group.

“The unarmed Muslims who were in a convoy of five buses were forced to disembark and were then killed one after another with their vehicles burnt.

Twenty two of them were murdered in cold blood instantly while fourteen (14) were seriously injured, even after they had properly identified themselves as Yoruba travellers from Southwest who were returning from a religious trip.

It was reported that the arrival of the police and soldiers on the scene saved the rest.

In a statement by the its Media Adviser, Mr Yinka Salaam, YWG expressed shock over the killing of innocent Yorubas who were merely passing through the Middle Belt of Nigeria to their destination.

The statement quoted YWG President, Comrade Adegoke Alawuje as saying, ‘We are saddened by the incident. Nigeria’s history has never recorded Yoruba sons and daughters involve in such religious crisis. We are stunned that, despite identifying themselves as Yorubas with explanations, Irigwe youths still went ahead to murder them in cold blood”.

Alawuje recalled that another illustrious Yoruba son from Ilorin, Kwara State, General Idris Alkali was also murdered in similar circumstance alongside other innocent Muslim travellers in cold blood with their vehicles throw into ponds.

Major Gen Alkali was murdered in Dura-Du district, an outskirt of Jos South Local Government Area in the most gruesome manner, by armed protesting youths who were demonstrating over the killing of 11 people in Lafande Community, by gunmen.

According to military intelligence report of Alkali’s final moments, “… his car was stopped and he introduced himself as a General to the hoodlums who had barricaded the road he was passing through to Bauchi from Abuja; but he was assaulted and killed.”

“Thereafter, his belongings such as clothings, cash, phones and laptop were shared by those who killed him. His body was dragged before being moved to somewhere else and his car was driven and pushed into the abandoned mining pit filled with water.”

Alkali’s body was later found in an abandoned well.

YWG President warned that the organisation would not relent until the killers are brought to justice.

He described as unfortunate, a situation where other tribesmen are marked for mass murder in retaliation for the killings between two neighbouring tribes, all because of their faith.

“The entire report looks like a dream to us. A typical Yoruba won’t even attack innocent individuals, even if they belong to the tribe of his attackers, how much more the innocent citizens from another tribe. If the Irigwe militia did what they did to Yorubas travellers who were only passing by, one can only imagine what they would have done to non-indigenes in their neighbourhood who belong to the warring tribe.

“Yoruba land has being a role model for other ethnic groups in Nigeria when it comes to religious harmony. That is why we are responding late because we decided to carry out our independent investigation to get to the root of the matter, unlike some politicians who hurriedly issued press releases to score cheap political gains and shield the perpetrators from justice. We refused to accept the lame excuse the the killng was as a result of mistaken identity.

“Our investigation so far revealed that the killers of the innocent travellers simply murdered them because they shared the same religious belief with Fulanis, with whom they have been engaged in ethnic clashes.

“Yoruba land is the only place in Nigeria where discrimination between Muslims and Christians is minimal. We are hereby demanding justice without delay.

YWG leader noted that Yorubas are not known as a people who take law into our hands, stressing that justice be done and the families of those killed unjustly be adequately compensated.

YWG charges police, judiciary

Alawuje called on the police and the judiciary in particular to be swift in bringing the perpetrators of the dastardly act to justice with a view to forestalling either reprisals or a repeat of such mindless killings, saying findings showed that lack of political will to do justice in the previous attacks along the same axis has encouraged the latest one.

Alawuje however berated those who parade themselves as Yoruba leaders for keeping quiet on the massacre of their sons and daughters outside their region, saying the killing is utterly unacceptable and completely unfair to Yoruba race.

He thus called on Yorubas to come together and stand firm, irrespective of their faith to condemn the killings and pursue justice, until it is achieved in this case.

While commiserating with the entire Yoruba race as well as the families and friends of the victims for the ioss, YWG leader enjoined them to take solace in the fact that the deceased died as martyrs in the cause of their Lord.

He prayed God Almighty to forgive the departed souls and admit them to Jannatu Firdaus.

Alawuje also urged Yorubas across the country to remain calm without taking laws into their hands, as they await the outcome of police investigation into the killing.