YCE raises alarm over influx of foreigners into Lagos

The Senior Elders Forum of the Yoruba Council of Elders, on Tuesday, raised concerns over alleged influx of foreign herders into Lagos State saying it portends a great danger for the state.

The elders, who spoke through a former National President of YCE, Dansaaki Samuel Agbede said with thousands of unknown individuals who have infiltrated Lagos, the State is sitting on a barrel of gunpowder.

He said the influx of the foreigners coincided with the recent unfortunate comments credited to one Alhaji Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State who allegedly said all Fulani people in the world are Nigerians.

Agbede, a retired military colonel, urged security agencies especially the Lagos State Government to be on their toes in ensuring that there is no breakdown of law and order in Lagos State and other parts of the country.

He said: “Lagos is very vulnerable. With a lot of people who have infiltrated Lagos, the State is sitting not only on a keg of gunpowder but on a barrel of gunpowder. A lot of foreigners have sneaked into Lagos State and the majority of them have no place of abode. They are in every nook and cranny of Lagos.

“We also wonder about the show of authority by someone who calls himself Serikin Fulani of Lagos State and Oba Rilwan Akiolu is sitting down comfortably looking at this thing? We in YCE salute Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and the Oba of Benin that any attempt to denigrate their ancient tradition and custom will be resisted.

“For Nigeria to be at peace, all this nepotism, selfishness, and desire that one person wants to drive away another person out of his land must be urgently addressed.

“You can’t say you want to enslave a certain people forever and this is what is causing all these problems we have as a country now. We have been crying over this since 2019 these things are coming and now they are here.

“For things to work well for us as a nation, we have to come together to dialogue. We still have problems of insecurity in Ekiti State. Some people were kidnapped at Ilejemeje in Ekiti Local Government. Fulani is still holding firm their base in Ekiti. There is much improvement in Osun, Oyo, Ogun but they still need to do more than what they are doing.” (Vanguard)