Ibadan, September 30, 2025 — The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has been formally alerted about an alleged plan to target the Yoruba people of Western Nigeria. This warning comes from a coalition of armed groups reportedly operating both within and beyond Nigeria’s borders.
In a letter addressed to the UN Secretary-General and signed by leaders of 130 Pan-Yoruba organizations, the Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements (AYDM) condemned the recent killing of 15 individuals in Kwara State, including women and children, by Fulani terrorists. The group described the attack as a prelude to a larger assault on Yoruba territories by heavily armed militants with a history of extreme violence.
AYDM said the Yoruba people have endured more than a century of violence and torture in the hands of extremists since the 1804 Jihad was launched describing the latest string of violence as the continuation of the extremists’ desire to impose on the people a theocratic state where democracy is seen as a crime.
The Nigerian security operatives are compromised while a section of the political class is hands in gloves with the terrorists making the prospect of state resolution of the lingering crisis difficult.
The group said the 15 people killed at Oke-Ode community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State on September 17, 2025 were Yoruba indigenous people whose lives were terminated by Fulani terrorists on their ancestral land in Kwara State.
AYDM said the criminals have the support of multi-national terrorists who operate and are funded globally, some with nation-states.
The group said similarly, four traditional rulers, Olufon of Ifon, Oba Israel Adeusi (November 26, 2020), Onimojo of Imojo, Oba Olatunde Samuel Olusola, His Royal Highness, Elesun of Esun, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsona have earlier been killed by the same terrorists while on June 10, 2022, terrorists bombed St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, an historic community in Ondo State killing 40 people in cold blood. The terror was carried out by Islamic State West Africa Province, (ISWAP). The Onikoro of Ikoro, His Royal Highness, Oba Segun Aremu, a retired General was also killed early February, 2024, his royal wife kidnapped.
‘The UN Secretary General, the time to act is nigh. Unprecedented killings that may be comparable to Rwanda is about to happen in Nigeria. It is the struggle between indigenous peoples and terrorists who unfortunately now have a stronghold across indigenous territories where they have seized and occupied, waiting for the whistle of terror for them to unleash mayhem, killings and misery on our people,’ AYDM Secretary General Popoola Ayaji who signed the letter on behalf of the AYDM said.
The group said the UN at present has the capacity to intervene in three ways: Compel Nigeria to uphold the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, UNDRIP which upholds the principles of harmonious and cooperative relations based on the laws of justice, democracy, respect for human rights and non-discrimination in good faith established on the principle of self-determination; Secondly, the UN Security Council should convene an emergency meeting on Nigeria with the aim of compelling the Federal Government of Nigeria to initiative the process for restructuring and self-determination.
Thirdly, the group also expressed deep concern about the involvement of Ukraine in the alleged sponsorship of terrorists in the Sahel saying that the development portrays the East European country as a mortal enemy of Africa and her long-suffering people. Ukraine increasingly has become active participant in the conflict in Africa to the detriment of indigenous people. AYDM urged the UN Secretary General to note that Andriy Yusov, the spokesperson for Ukrainian Military intelligence admitted Ukraine’s role in barbaric and heinous terrorist acts now being committed in the Sahel with dangerous signposts for the people in Nigeria. The UN needs to dissuade Ukraine from promoting and fueling terrorism in Africa.
‘These three steps are critical to preventing genocide from full blown in Nigeria. If the UN fails to act now, Nigeria is certain to witness Africa’s worst blood birth. The UN will share in the blame if nothing is done and at the right time,’ Ajayi said.
Some of the signatories are leaders of O’odua Peoples Congress, (OPC-New Era), O’odua Nationalist Coalition, (ONAC), Network for Yoruba Alliance, (NENA), South West Professionals Forum, (SOWPROF), O’odua Peoples Congress, (Reformed), Okun Peoples Association, (OPA), Kwara Indigenous Peoples League, (KIPL), Yoruba Artisans and Traders Association, (YATA), Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC-Faseun), Covenant Group, (CG), National Congress of Itsekiri People, (NCIP), Oworro Peoples Front, (OPF), O’odua Hunters Union, (OHUN) among many others. The AYDM said war in Nigeria are being propelled by the terrorists and their sponsors will have grave consequences on regional and global security. It noted that at present, there are no fewer than 5million Nigerians either displace due to the asymmetric war of in refugee camps due to the terror being perpetrated by Fulani armed men and Boko Haram. It is sad that the UN can do many things to stop the carnage but has done nothing.
The Yoruba people are peace-loving. We detest violence but are not going to watch helplessly the killing of our people by rogues and armed bandits while the national and international authorities do nothing. ‘The UN needs to be pro-active. Genocide in Nigeria being planned by Fulani terrorists and their sponsors is a disaster waiting to happen. The International community can take may actions to prevent this misery. We are not a weak people. We have a long history of courage, valour and resilience. The Yoruba people do not want war but will not run away from defending our ancestral land with the last breath and the last drop of our blood. But there is an opportunity for the UN to prevent the war in the first place.’
The AYDM said ‘We draw your attention to your historic responsibility of preventing war when the time is ripe. It will be wrong for the UN to be holding meetings only after the crime of genocide has been committed.’
Signed
Popoola Ajayi
General Secretary
