The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has advised the Presidency to check the killing spree of the herdsmen in Yorubaland to prevent people from resorting to self-defence and anarchy.

This is coming barely a week after former President Olusegun Obasanjo accused the Federal Government of being lackadaisical about invasion and unprovoked attacks by herdsmen across the country.

In a statement issued on Sunday by its President, Col. S. Ade Agbede (rtd), the YCE said it appears the herdsmen had become untouchable, citing instances when they have kidnapped and killed innocent people without any justifiable reason.

The elders’ council said the recent abduction of a professor and lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife on Ibadan-Ife road as well as several killings of Yoruba sons and daughters on their farmlands by herdsmen were worrisome.

While making reference to a report that there were 1,123 cells operated  by herdsmen within the South-West, the YCE called on its people to be on guard and hold the issue of security dearly to prevent further loss of lives and property.

The statement read: “As Yoruba elders and leaders in our own rights, we owe it a duty to speak up. There are said to be 1,123 cells belonging to armed herdsmen located across Yoruba nation.

“The cells are said to be well organized and they are said to appear to network with each other as the cells may not be known except that there has been increase in their organizational skills.

“Perhaps, the most challenging issue confronting the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is that of insecurity and it is not hidden and the various efforts being made.

“But one is constrained to observe that the situation is degenerating and when such a situation arises, it needs drastic solution. We are not oblivious of the great task of the military in nearly all parts of the north and some parts of the south against insurgents and bandits.

“This has made the military very stretched, thereby needing the understanding and cooperation of Nigerians to render a helping effort in intelligence gathering to forestall what appears like a planned invasion of Yoruba nation.

“This is part of the reasons we are now calling on our people to be on guard and forge a common front to ensure the security of lives and property in our region.

“A released victim from herdsmen captivity said unequivocally that Yoruba nation is under siege as he recounted how about 10 armed men dressed in army uniform kidnapped him.

“We all have to wake up from our slumber and flush out all strange and potentially dangerous people hiding in our forests.

“A situation which makes the herdsmen appear untouchable and have laxity to behave as they like is embarrassingly worrisome and poses grave danger to peaceful coexistence among the various ethnic groups in the country.

“The Federal Government should resolve to rein in herdsmen and bandits so as not to pave way for a situation where everybody will resort to self-defence which will ultimately lead to anarchy and descend to Hobbesian state of nature where life is short, brutish and nasty.”

While calling on the Federal Government to redouble its efforts towards curbing the menace of kidnappers, the elders advised security agencies to increase their air surveillance activities across the country.

“The moment the kidnappers know that they have no hiding place anywhere around the country, they would abandon the illicit venture,” the statement added.