South East Governors assure Igbos in northern Nigeria of their safety

 

South East governors have urged Igbos leaving in the north to remain  where they are, go about their activities without fear of being attacked assuring them of their security despite the three months ultimatum given to them to leave the region.

 

Chairman of the forum and Governor of Ebonyi state, David Umahi gave the assurance yesterday at a press briefing in Abakaliki.

 

He was reacting to a three months ultimatum issued by the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, ACYF, a coalition of socio-political groups in northern Nigeria, to all Igbos in the 19 northern states to vacate the region.

 

The federal government and the Kaduna State government have since condemned the call, assuring of maximum security while Governor Nasir El-Rufai called for the arrest of the sponsors of the Arewa forum.

 

Governors of the nineteen northern states on Wednesday also disowned the a coalition of Arewa groups, who issued  the ultimatum to Igbos and assured them of their safety in the region.

 

Describing the ultimatum as provocative and mischievous, Governor Umahi called on northern leaders to take actions that  will counteract the intended plot of the youths, in other to ensure that the grim history of the past is not repeated.

 

"We Must call on all serious minded patriots, particularly the religious leadership in Nothern Nigeria; the leadership of other socio-cultural groups in Nothern Nigeria; the Nigerian Governors Forum; and all the service branches to rise up with voices of peace and wisdom to counteract the mischievousness and exuberant excesses of the northern youth"

 

The ugly lessons of history are too grim to be stoked with carelessness. As leaders, we must exert the full measure of our powers and influence to forestall a repletion"

 

"We call on all Igbo sons and daughters resident in Nothern Nigeria to go about their lawful daily activities without fear of intimidation, hindrance or molestation"

 

Umahi further reiterated the commitment  of the South East Governors to "the existence of a virile , united prosperous and progressive Federal Republic of Nigeria where Justice, fairness, equity, mutual respect and equality of opportunity to all citizens regardless of creed, ethnicity or gender will reign supreme under the inflexible rule of law".

 

The governor also denied media reports that the governors held a meeting yesterday night and resolved to send buses to evacuate Igbos in the north.

 

"The rumours being peddled on conventional and social media platforms that we, the governors of the south east have met and agreed to mobilize vehicles and cash for repatriatiuoin of ndigbo resident in northern Nigeia must be disregarded, as they are nothing but tissues of lies".

 

"No amount of provocation would lead us to such precipitate and irresponsible action at this time. Those exploiting such vacuous tittle-tattle as a basis for divisive rhetoric in public spaces are simply playing juvenile politics and we urge them to cease and desist". Ends