Minister of Interior, Lt Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (Rtd), has reacted to the recent call by youth organizations requesting Igbo people residing in the North to vacate, and for Northerners in Igbo land to return home.
The Minister, who lamented the spurious and unwarranted calls for separation, called on all well meaning Nigerians “to go about their normal activities as Government would bring to bear the full weight of the law on any individual or group violating the rights of citizens of the country.”
Dambazau assured that citizens were free to go about their normal businesses and would not be harassed or deterred by any group or persons.
Dambazau advised the, “various ethnic groups to desist from flaming the embers of hate, animosity, discord and disharmony and adhere strictly to the teachings of good values of religions and cultures that encourages good neighbourliness, national unity and Integration, and love for one another.”
He also advised youth to avoid being instrument of violence, animosity and disharmony and that they should rather focus their attention and energies on national unity, integration and cohesion.
Similarly, leading pan-Northern group, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has condemned the ultimatum on Igbos.
Recall that spokesman of the coalition, AbdulAziz Suleiman, who read the ‘Kaduna Declaration’ to newsmen on Tuesday, called for mobilization “for sustained, coordinated campaigns at State Government Houses, State Houses of Assembly, Local Government Council Secretariats and Traditional Palaces to mount pressure for steps to be taken to ensure enforcement of the directives”.
“The North hereby openly calls on the authorities and other national and international stakeholders to acknowledge this declaration by taking steps to facilitate the final dissolution of this hopeless union that has never been convenient to any of the parties.
”From today, June 6, 2017, when this proclamation is signed, the North, a critical player in the Nigerian project, hereby declares that it will no longer be disposed to coexisting with the Igbos and shall take definite steps to end the partnership by pulling out of the current federal arrangement.”
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