Yoruba youths have condemned the reported position of ‘Arewa Integrity League’, which it described as a faceless group, on the recent arrest of a suspected notorious inter-border criminal, Bashir Hadejia by a combined team of the nation’s security forces.
The youths who spoke in a statement through the leader of their umbrella organisation, Yoruba Youth Council, Comrade Eric Oluwole, accused the”faceless group” of being a tool of some unpatriotic powerful elements to frustrate the prosecution of Hadejia, whose activities “constitute a big threat to the security, integrity and sovereignty of our dear Country the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’
Hadejia, a suspect implicated in treason, gun-running and other related transborder crimes that threaten the security and sovereignty of Nigeria, was arrested recently by the country’s security network in an operation coordinated jointly by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu, Defence Ministry, the Armed Forces, Police and other security agencies.
But the Arewa Integrity League in a statement criticised Hadejia’s arrest.
In Oluwole’s words: “Our attention has been drawn to one press release going viral through the social media by one faceless group purportedly from the North, which called itself Arewa Integrity League.
“We hereby state unequivocally that we the entire Yoruba youths of the Southwestern part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, under our umbrella body, the Yoruba Youth Council, condemn in strong terms, the selfish and unpatriotic position of the faceless group purportedly from the North on the arrest of Hadejia by the eagle-eyed security agents of our Country.
“We discovered that this faceless group is being used by some disgruntled, unpatriotic and powerful persons to destabilize our country’s security agencies in view of their commendable good team work which led to the the arrest of Bashir Hadejia.”
Oluwole said: “We shall not allow any persons however highly placed to jeopardise the efforts of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the Minister of Defense; Alhaji Bello Matawalle, the Armed Forces, the Police and other security agencies
“No amount of propaganda against Matawalle who we the Yoruba youths appreciate for giving his full support to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, and other security agencies can stop further investigation of Bashir Hadejia suspected of heinous crimes that threaten the security, integrity and sovereignty of our Country.
“We are surprised that some people would stand against the arrest for investigation and prosecution of someone whose activities allegedly threaten the security, integrity and sovereignty of our Country, for which credible Nigerians individually and corporately have been applauding our Country’s security network”
“For instance, a coalition of concerned progressive groups under the aegis of the North/South Stakeholders Consultative Assembly, in a statement on August 16 signed jointly by Yerima Shettima of Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF), and Suleiman Abdul-Azeez of Northern Awareness Network (NAN), commended the arrest of Hadejia.
“The coalition in the statement described Bashir Hadejia as a suspect implicated in treason, gun-running, and other transnational crimes and noted that this exemplary operation by our diligent security agencies, represents a remarkable achievement in safeguarding the integrity and sovereignty of Nigeria.
“According to the coalition’s statement: “The apprehension of individuals such as Bashir Hadeja not only protects our borders but also underscores the importance of vigilance in combating increasingly sophisticated networks of crime and terrorism. The nexus between local and international criminal enterprises calls for a fortified response from all stakeholders to dismantle these dangerous operations.
“The confession of Bashir Hadeja has unveiled a disturbing nexus of criminality that transcends national boundaries, posing significant threats not only to Nigeria but to the broader West African region and beyond. His involvement in the gun-running trade and the smuggling of gold pilfered from the Central Bank of Libya underscores a perilous partnership with international criminal networks.
“These entities do not merely undermine our national integrity; they provide the very resources necessary for exacerbating terrorism and instability across West Africa—a situation that represents a severe affront to our sovereignty and a pronounced invasion of our peace. The implications of Hadeja’s criminal endeavors are profound and far-reaching.”
Also earlier in its response to Hadejia’s arrest, the Yoruba Youth Council through Oluwole had praised the security agents involved in arresting one of Nigeria’s foremost suspected enemiee as one of the suspected most dangerous transnational criminals with strong local connections which they allegedly exploit to fuel unrest in our Country.
In Oluwole’s words: “Hadejia’s confession of sponsoring the recent #EndBadGovernance protests confirms the fear in some quarters that unscrupulous individuals with means could infiltrate and exploit well intentioned protests by aggrieved Nigerians, to perpetrate their criminal, unpatriotic and selfish agenda of destabilising the Country and discrediting the government in power.
“This is a disturbing development especially when we recall the alarming turn of the protests in some parts of the North where some disgruntled and unguided youths, apparently infiltrators, waved the Russian flag, ostensibly calling for a replication in the democratic Federal Republic of Nigeria, of the Russian-backed undemocratic change of government in some neighbouring West African countries.
“Besides, the suspicion that Hadejia in league with others at large, coordinate a ring of criminal activities such as arms trafficking, money laundering, and terrorism sponsorship, calls for more concern especially considering the collosal number of Nigerians who are being slaughtered in their hundreds across the country under the guise of banditry, kidnapping and other violent communal clashes. This is not to talk of the property and farms being destroyed in these crimes.
“Because of the international connections involved, the need to get to the root of the matter, and in view of the security implications of the activities of the suspect and his collaborators to Nigeria and our neighbouring countries, the investigation of this case should done also in collaboration with the security agencies of Nigeria’s neighbouring countries, and possibly with INTERPOL. This international dimension should complement the investigation within the country.”
