– The coalition of northern youths have continued to threaten Igbos living in the northern part of Nigeria
– Igbos have been threaten to leave the north or face the consequences
– Calls have been made by Nasir El-Rufai and other governors in the north, seeking the arrest of those threatening the Igbos
– To the peoples’ dismay, no arrest has been made by the Nigerian Police Force
Emerging reports suggest that the police, on Thursday, June 8, failed to carry out a directive by the Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, to arrest some northern youths, who issued a three-month ultimatum for the Igbo resident in the area to quit the region.
The groups had, on Tuesday, June 6, issued a three-month ultimatum to people of Igbo extraction, resident in the 19 states in the North, to leave or be forced out before October 1, 2017.
A prepared text of a press conference addressed by the groups was signed by the leaders of the various groups.
Those who signed the groups’ statement are Nastura Sharif (Arewa Citizens Action for Change); Amb. ShettimaYerima (Arewa Youth Consultative Forum); Aminu Adam (Arewa Youth Development Foundation); Alfred Solomon (Arewa Students Forum); Abdul-Azeez Suleiman (Northern Emancipation Network) as well as Joshua Viashman (Northern Youth Vanguard).
“We are also telling our brothers (northerners) out there in the South-East to get prepared to come back home,” Yerima had said.
The National President of the Northern Emancipation Network, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, who read the text of the press conference, alleged that the Igbo had become a threat to the unity of the country.
The Force Headquarters spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, in an interview with newsmen, said the police were still searching for the northern youths who issued the ultimatum.
READ ALSO: Biafra tension: Arewa youths insist that Igbos must leave the north
There are some who believe that the failure of the Nigerian Police Force in not apprehending the leaders of the northern youths coalition, is a strong indication of bias against the Igbo people
On Wednesday, El-Rufai had ordered the immediate arrest and prosecution of the leaders, saying the call by the groups could destabilize the country.
But while the police said they had yet to make any arrest, the youth in a statement on Thursday dared the force by insisting on their ultimatum.
They, however, said they had no plan to resort to violence.
Explaining the efforts of the police to arrest the youth leaders, the police spokesman stated that police operatives were “looking for them.”
“We are looking for them. They are not sitting in the market waiting to be picked up,” he said.
According to Sahara Reporters, when asked how long it would take to nab the youth leaders, Moshood said he was issuing a statement that would address the issues.
The Kaduna police command spokesman, Aliyu Usman, said there was no update on the matter.
“We have no statement to make, if there is any development, I will tell you. No arrest yet,” he said.
When asked if the police were reluctant to arrest the youths, Usman simply said he would speak when there was an update.
Also, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, while responding to questions from journalists at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Thursday, said the police had yet to arrest the northern youth leaders.
Idris spoke during his monthly conference with assistant inspectors-general of police, commissioners of police and other senior officers.
The IGP stated, “We have no arrest yet. As Commissioners of Police and Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, we have the responsibility to stop this group of persons from
“I want us to be at alert to ensure that such persons or groups were stopped at all cost from carrying out their threats. No individual has the authority to stop anybody from looking for his daily bread.”
In a statement late on Thursday, the police called on Igbo in the North to disregard the ultimatum by the northern youths.
The statement by the Force spokesman, Moshood, was however silent on the expected arrest of the group members for making inciting statements.
The force said it was monitoring closely the activities of the various northern youth groups, warning them against acts that could precipitate tension and violence.
Will the Arewa leaders be arrested as they arrested Nnamdi Kanu?
Reacting to the controversial situation on ground, former aide to Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, said the development would go a long way in defining the kind of politics that holds sway in Nigeria at the moment.
Omokri took to his Facebook account saying: “The press conference where Igbos were asked to quit the North was held at Arewa House.
To those who do not know what Arewa House is, go and research it. It is almost impossible to hold a press conference at Arewa House without the knowledge of the Kaduna State Government.
Is someone flying a kite? That being said, In 2015, Nnamdi Kanu was jailed by the Muhammadu Buhari administration for two years and charged with treason because he called for an independent state of Biafra. In 2005, Asari Dokubo was jailed for two years by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration and charged with treason because he called for self determination of the Niger-Delta.
PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
In 1993 and 1996 the Abacha administration jailed Gani Fawehinmi for months and charged him with treasonable offenses (holding a political rally against the government).
Nigerians are waiting to see if the same treatment will be meted out to Alhaji Yerima Shettima, President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, who has also committed an act of treason by declaring war on Nigerian citizens of Southeast origin when he and his group ordered them to leave Northern Nigeria.
If he is treated with kid gloves then we will know that President Buhari meant what he said about treating 97 percenters differently from 5 percenters.
Addressing the weakness of the police
Following its failure to arrest leaders of the Arewa youths and northern youths coalition, Omokri said the police are not being fair in their dissemination of justice.
He said: “The funniest thing I have read in a long time is the warning by the Nigerian Police Force to the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum to “to desist forthwith the ultimatum”!
Can you imagine that? Did the Nigerian government ask Nnamdi Kanu to ‘desist’ or did they arrest and charge him?
So why warning Arewa Youth Consultative Forum and its leader? When people commit treason you arrest and prosecute them, you don’t warn them to desist. Or is it that there is one law for Nnamdi Kanu, Asari Dokubo, Gani Fawehinmi, Beko Kuti and co and another law for Alhaji Shettima Yerima and his Arewa Youth Consultative Forum?
It took less than 24 hours for the man who named his dog ‘Buhari’ to be arrested. But all that the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum gets after 48 hours is a warning by the Nigerian Police Force under President Muhammadu Buhari.”
Below is a ZENITHBLOG.com video in which Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, addresses the issue of Biafra.
0naze
No comments:
Post a Comment