The Arewa Youth Forum (AYF) has expressed dismay on the situation in the South-East of the country where youths are protesting perceived marginalisation of their zone and demanding a state of Biafra.
“As the umbrella body of all northern youths, we want to condemn the development in its entirety; it is being carried out in bad fate and expect all well meaning Nigerians to do same”, the National President of the group, Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu said in a statement.
“In the same vein, we want the leaders and political leaders alike from the South-East to immediately call the protesters to order. This is the time to show leadership by bringing the situation under control before it gets out of hand,” the group stressed.
However, he said, “We want to reiterate that we are apostles of one indivisible Nigeria and will continue to work across the length and breath of the country to engender peace, Unity and progress for all Nigerians irrespective of tribe, religion and region, most especially among the Youths. We believe that is the only way to bring growth and development to the people.
“It is because of this that we are calling on all Nigerians to remain anywhere they are in the country; we specifically call on our brothers and sisters from the South East to remain anywhere they are in the north as they will be adequately protected and we will make sure that nothing happens to them.
“We also want to call on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to act immediately and bring any move that will lead to the breakdown of law and order under control before it escalates. This is because it is still fresh in the mind of many Nigerians that it is the inability of the government then to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency and nip it in the board that caused the situation to deteriorate to this level.
“As a new government we are also asking the administration to take the issue of youth empowerment and employment seriously; we are worried that majority of the youths are out of work and been restless is contributing to their participation in the ongoing Biafra Agitation. The Youths need to start feeling the impact of the change as a panacea for peace in the country,” it observed.
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