The recent visit of the controversial Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmmad Abubakar Gumi, to some communities in the Okun land (Yoruba speaking areas), Kogi State, has continued to raise serious apprehension and fears among the people and therefore needs to be investigated.

A social critic and public commentator, Mr. Shea Badeyi, revealed this while speaking with newsmen in lokoja during the weekend.

Recall that the controversial Islamic Cleric, Gumi, had visited Ayangan, a community near Kabba in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area where he made provisions for free medical services to some Fulani herdsmen, which according to him have been abandoned.

Reacting to the visits, Bebeyi said: ” If Gumi truly meant well, why did he not pay a courtesy call on the traditional rulers of the affected communities or even alert them of his coming before ‘ the so-called medical outreach’, and why must he single out the Fulani people or the herders for the outreach?

“Security agencies and Kogi State Government must probe his visit and those funding the free medical outreach whether it has other ulterior motives because the peace-loving locals where he visited and indeed the whole of Okun land are already frightened”.

“We must ask why the sudden attention. Why did Gumi change the names of the communities visited to that of Hausa- Fulani language? For example, the name of the first community he visited is known for ages as Ayangan-Kabba, but he changed it to Ardo Suberu. Is it a ploy to take their ancestral lands from them?

“Like the Okun Development Association has said, though Okun people are peaceful, accommodating, and law-abiding, this should not be construed as being coward, the people will resist any Fulanisation agenda that Gumi may be spearheading.”

Bebeyi is the chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), Chartered Institute of Development and Social Studies.