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“History Will Never Forgive You”: Yoruba Union Blasts Buhari Over Alleged Atrocities In Southwest
Our women and daughters were raped, our men killed, and ancestral lands overtaken by invaders. Buhari did nothing. Instead, his administration shielded the perpetrators
Ikeja, Lagos State- The Yoruba socio-cultural group, Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, also known as the Yoruba Union, has expressed strong condemnation over the legacy of former President Muhammadu Buhari following the news of his death, accusing him of complicity in the attacks, killings, and displacement of Yoruba people during his time in office.
The Union alleged that Buhari enabled and protected violent Fulani herdsmen who were responsible for several deadly incidents across the South West, including the murder of Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Afenifere leader Pa Reuben Fasoranti, and the invasion of Igangan community in Oyo State.
The group further accused Buhari of orchestrating the attempted assassination of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Igboho, and allowing the abduction of elder statesman Chief Olu Falae by suspected Fulani kidnappers.
The Union said the former president’s administration turned a blind eye as farmlands were destroyed, women raped, and entire communities driven from their ancestral lands.
In a statement signed by the group’s Convener, Olusola Badero, and released by the Home Director, Princess Balogun, the union said the former president empowered violent herders to unleash terror on Yoruba communities — through killings, kidnappings, rape, and destruction of ancestral farmlands.
The union accused Buhari of complicity in the murder of Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti.
“All eyewitnesses confirmed she was killed by Fulani herdsmen who emerged from the bush and shot her in broad daylight,” the group said.
They also referenced the kidnapping of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, who was abducted by Fulani assailants.
“Chief Falae was forced to trek over 30 kilometers, slept in the bush for days, and was moved every few hours — all while Buhari remained silent,” the statement noted.
The Yoruba Union alleged that during Buhari’s presidency, farms were destroyed regularly, and many farmers were forced to flee their lands.
“Our women and daughters were raped, our men killed, and ancestral lands overtaken by invaders. Buhari did nothing. Instead, his administration shielded the perpetrators,” the union said.
They also condemned the invasion of Igangan and other towns, claiming Buhari’s “Fulani kinsmen operated with impunity” throughout the region.
“This is not about politics. This is about justice and memory. Yoruba people will never forget the terror we endured under Buhari. History will not absolve him,” they said.
The Union stated, “Muhammadu Buhari will be remembered in history for how he allowed his kinsmen to wreak havoc in the Southwest. One notable incident was the invasion of Adeyemo Sunday Igboho’s residence, during which several people were reportedly killed, although he managed to escape.
“Despite the deep-seated animosity Buhari appeared to have towards the Yoruba people, he still sent security operatives to Cotonou in an attempt to repatriate Sunday Igboho back to Nigeria—simply because Igboho was advocating for the freedom of his people, calling for self-determination, and championing the cause of a Yoruba nation.
The union said: “Under Buhari’s watch, he ordered the arrest and detention of Omoyele Sowore. He was held incommunicado, restricted to Abuja, had his passport confiscated, and was denied access to his family—even though he committed no crime.”
The group further alleged that the former president committed several atrocities against humanity.
“We will never forget the Owo massacre—how innocent worshippers were killed in a church on a Sunday in Ondo State. Nor will we forget the tragic killing of a doctor who returned from Germany to establish a farming business in Oyo State, only to be murdered by suspected Fulani herdsmen.”
They also decried the alleged release of a notorious figure: “This is the same person who gave the order for the release of Iskilu Wakili, a notorious Fulani herdsman who was repeatedly accused by Ibarapa residents of being behind the crimes committed in the area. Wakili allegedly killed four people in Idiyan village, Igangan, Oyo State.”
The Yoruba Union has stated that the atrocities committed during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari can never be forgotten, especially the number of innocent lives lost during the #EndSARS protest at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos State.
According to the Union, “Those who claim that Buhari left behind a good legacy are clearly not among the families who lost loved ones and were sent to their early graves. His Fulani kinsmen acted with impunity under his watch, and he never uttered a word. Buhari is no better than those who were butchered in their sleep by herdsmen, or the fathers who were killed on their farms.”
The Union further asserted that the Yoruba race will never forget the pain and suffering caused to its people during Buhari’s tenure as President of Nigeria.
“History and our ancestors will never forgive him for the pain inflicted on the Yoruba people under his watch,” the Union stated, lamenting what it described as years of state-enabled terror against the South West.
The Yoruba Union reiterated its call for justice and remembrance for victims of herdsmen violence, vowing to continue defending the rights and dignity of the Yoruba people.
The group called for national reflection and accountability, asserting that the pain inflicted on the Southwest during Buhari’s tenure remains fresh and unresolved.
