A Pan-Yoruba group, Yoruba Koya Leadership and Training Foundation (YKLTF), has dragged the governors of Yoruba-speaking South-West states to a Federal High Court over worsening insecurity conditions in the region.
The suit, which was filed at the Ibadan Division of the Federal High Court, is marked: IB/CS/189/22.
Beyond the South-West region, governors of Kwara, Kogi and Edo states were also joined in the suit because their states have a substantial Yoruba-speaking population.
In the suit filed by the group’s lawyer, Mr Tayo Douglas, the plaintiffs said they resolved to take the legal path due to the seeming lackadaisical attitude of the governors towards the plight of the people in their respective states in the area of security.
The plaintiffs included Otunba Ayodeji Osibogun, Professor Bisi Sowunmi, Chief (Mrs) Ronke Okusanya, Senator Olatokunbo Ogunbanjo and Mr. Olakunle Osuntokun.
They sued the affected governors on behalf of themselves and the registered trustees of the Yoruba Koya Leadership and Training Foundation.
They specifically asked the court for an “Order compelling the defendants to take all lawful and legal means necessary to protect the lives, dignities, personal liberties.
“As well as the freedom of the people of the respective community from any acts of discrimination, dominion and oppression by the local and foreign marauding herders, bandits and kidnappers who continue to terrorise, rape, maim, kill and kidnap the people of the said community daily without any inhibition.”
They also asked for an “order compelling the defendants to take every lawful and legal means necessary to protect their respective communities and their farm lands from the encroachment and invasion of both local and foreign herders, bandits and kidnappers who have continued to prevent the people of the communities from realising their full potentials of enabling environment favourable to their social and economic development.”
The defendants are the governors and attorneys-general of the South-West states as well as those of Edo, Kogi and Kwara states.
In a 17-paragraph affidavit in support of the suit, the group averred that Yoruba people are being subjected to incessant kidnapping, armed robberies, terrorism, banditry by both local and foreign invaders.
They noted that the suit is in line with the Constitution of Nigeria and in the interest of the people of the Yoruba ethnic group with absolute rights.
These rights, they said are as provided under the Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights to protect themselves and their means of livelihood from destruction by the foreign/local herders and bandits.
Deponent of the affidavit, Otunba Osibogun, noted that of recent, road travelling through the states inhabited by the Yoruba people in Edo, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo have become dangerous.
The danger, he said, is owing to incessant kidnapping, banditry and robbery being carried out by the foreign/local herders and bandits along the highways, unchallenged.
He claimed that a visit to various farming communities in Yorubaland at personal risks to interview and interact with the farmers and other inhabitants, revealed that the farmers can no longer go to their farms for fear of being killed or kidnapped by the foreign/local herders. He said life generally have become very hard, nasty and frustrating to them.
Osibogun said: “It will be recalled that in the past, we made attempt by writing letters and sending emissaries to the governors which have not yielded results. We have decided to pursue the legal step to at least ask them to come to the aid of the citizens.”
The organisation believes that this path will compel the governors to act promptly and in good faith for the betterment of the masses in their care.
Among the issues raised for determination by the court include: “Whether or not the Yoruba ethnic group or the community of Yoruba people domiciled or resident in Edo, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states of Nigeria can, by virtue of Sections 33, 34 and 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Articles 4, 5 and 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 compel the defendants to protect their lives, dignities, personal liberties as well as their freedom from any acts of discrimination, dominion and oppression by the local and foreign marauding herders, bandits and kidnappers who continue to terrorise, rape, maim, kill and kidnap the people of the said community daily without any inhibition?;
“Whether or not, and by virtue of Articles 3, 14 and 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the Yoruba ethnic group or community within the Federation of Nigeria and domiciled or resident in Edo, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states have the rights to demand that the defendants be compelled to protect their community and their farm lands from the encroachment and invasion of both local and foreign herders, bandits and kidnappers who have continued to prevent the people of the said community from realising their full potentials of having enabling environment favourable to their social and economic development?;
“Whether or not the continuous invasion of the Yoruba ethnic community farm lands, roads and other facilities in Edo, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states by foreign and local herders, bandits and kidnappers without any lawful or justifiable reasons and the inability of defendants in arresting or combating the incessant and unprecedented carnage is not an antithesis and contravention of the oath of office sworn to by the Defendants in pursuance of Section 185 (1) & (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) or any other extant laws?
“Whether or not the sudden and continuous invasion of the Yoruba ethnic community land of Edo, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo States by foreign and local herders, bandits, marauders, kidnappers and rapists and inability of defendants taking any step to arrest or combat the invasion and carnage have not exposed the Yoruba ethnic group and community to a perilous and dangerous situation in contrast to the assurance of their inalienable rights as preserved under Articles 19, 20, and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004?”
They submitted that if the answers to the above questions are in the affirmative then the court should declare that, “the Yoruba ethnic group or the community of Yoruba people domiciled or resident in Edo, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states of Nigeria can, by virtue of Sections 33, 34 and 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As amended) and Articles 4, 5 and 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, compel the defendants to protect their lives, dignities, personal liberties as well as their freedom from any acts of discrimination, dominion and oppression by the local and foreign marauding herders, bandits and kidnappers who continue to terrorise, rape, maim, kill and kidnap the people of the said community daily without any inhibition.
“A declaration that by virtue of Articles 3, 14 and 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the Yoruba ethnic group or community within the Federation of Nigeria and domiciled or resident in Edo, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states have the rights to demand that the defendants be compelled to protect their community and their farm lands from the encroachment and invasion of both local and foreign herders, bandits and kidnappers who have continued to prevent the people of the community from realising their full potentials of enabling environment favourable to their social and economic development.
“A declaration that the continuous invasion of the Yoruba ethnic community farm lands, roads and other facilities in Edo, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states by foreign and local herders, bandits and kidnappers without any lawful or justifiable reasons and the inability of defendants in arresting or combating the incessant and unprecedented carnage is an antithesis and contravention of the oath of office sworn to by the defendants in pursuance of Section 185 (1) & (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As amended) or any other extant laws.
“A declaration that the sudden and continuous invasion of the Yoruba ethnic community land of Edo, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states by foreign and local herders, bandits, marauders, kidnappers and rapists and inability of defendants taking any step to arrest or combat the invasion and carnage have exposed the Yoruba ethnic group and community to a perilous and dangerous situation in contrast to the assurance of their inalienable rights as preserved under Articles 19, 20, and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
