IGBO living in the 19 Northern states on Tuesday vowed not to leave the North on the October 1 deadline given by some Northern groups.

Chikezie Nwogwu, president-general of Igbo traditional rulers in the northern states and Abuja, stated this during a courtesy call on Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who insisted on having the northern youths that gave the ultimatum arrested and prosecuted.

This came as Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, again warned yesterday that the Federal Government will deploy its apparatus against any group of people threatening the territorial integrity and oneness of the country. This is even as the Police high command declared that it had not made any arrest, despite the instruction of Governor El-Rufai that the northern youths behind the October 1 ultimatum be arrested.

At the meeting with the Kaduna State governor, Chief Nwogwu said the Igbo would not leave the North because they have contributed immensely to the development of the region. While expressing appreciation to the governor for his support, Nwogwu said Nigeria is better off as one indivisible country.

He, however, called on government to address some of the underlying factors that had led to the agitations in different parts of the country. “We are not in support of division. We are saying that things should be done right,” Chief Nwogwu said.

Addressing the Igbo Northern traditional rulers, Governor El-Rufai said the state has no room for hate speeches and will ensure that those who perpetrated such acts are brought to book. He also vowed that no matter how long it takes, the state government will arrest and prosecute leaders of the Coalition of Northern youths who gave Igbo three months notice to quit the north.

According to the governor, Kaduna State Government has a duty to ensure that those who fan embers of disunity in the state are made accountable for their actions.

“Nobody can come to Kaduna State and say this nonsense. It is hate speech that kills. We are trying people for that. We have a duty to arrest them and put them before a judge. Igbo leaders in the 19 northern states after a meeting with Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State over the quit order by Arewa youths to Igbo in the North at the Govt house, Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

“We will tell them that they cannot do that in Kaduna. We will go after them. They have gone underground. There may be reluctance on the part of some people to arrest them but we will arrest them,” he said.

Governor El Rufai said though some people in the South East, especially members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, might have said some provocative things, “two wrongs do not make a right.”

The governor admitted that though the federation might have some challenges, breaking up was not an option. “Breaking up into small enclaves is not a solution. It is short-sighted and only illiterates behave like that. We all need Nigeria, it is from Nigeria that we can be better.

Our federation is not a true federation but the solution is not to break into small enclaves,” he said. He called on Igbo leaders to rein in their youths, promising that Kaduna State Government was taking steps to ensure that every Nigerian living in the state is safe and secure.

“We will do whatever we will do to protect everybody in Kaduna State. We are watching every body. Every Nigerian in Kaduna State is safe. We will do whatever we can to protect you. Relax, continue your normal lives, nothing will happen,” he said.

Meanwhile, speaking at the ongoing consultative meeting with traditional rulers from the 19 northern states at the old banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja yesterday, Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, warned again that the Federal Government will deploy apparatus of government  against those threatening Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

He also stated that government will not take the diversity of the country for granted. The Acting President advised the royal fathers to counsel misguided elements among the youths against ethnic confrontation and careless throwing of words without minding the repercussions.

He noted that the country has witnessed enough violence and bloodshed in its history, adding that the price of the nation’s unity had already been paid in the blood and lives of hundreds and thousands of soldiers and civilians. The Acting President’s warning came against the backdrop of the recent quit notice given to the Igbo in the 19 states of the north by a coalition of 16 youth groups from the north to vacate the region before October 1 and the threat of secession by the Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

He said: “Your demonstration of commitment and leadership is heart-warming. I have no doubt at all that we will all be enriched by our interaction today. This meeting is the third in the series that commenced last week. “I have met with the leaders of thought from the North and from the South-East and on Sunday with traditional rulers from the South-East and yesterday you graciously consented to joining us at the Iftar, ahead of today’s (yesterday) meeting. I want to thank you dearly for spending the night in order to be able to attend this meeting.

“We have thought we will conclude this by tomorrow but you very kindly spent the night and several of our traditional rulers have travelled just since morning to be here with us; some travelled overnight to be here with us. “I am truly grateful for all of your sacrifice and your commitments to dialogue  and we hope  it will give us all the desired results. As royal fathers and traditional leaders, your place and your roles in our society and nation is significant.

“ ou are the custodians of our customs and traditions and living embodiment of our rich heritage. You are by virtue of your vast knowledge and wisdom and experience have a vital link over our past and an important guarantee for the success of our future.

“This is why your role in national affairs is so critical. And the reason for the series of the meetings is of course very well known to all of us. It became necessary in the wake of the divisive statements in recent months and weeks, essentially pitching the South-East against the North.

“We are all aware of the so-called ultimatum issued by a group of northern young men asking that Igbos living in the North vacate the region. And before then, there was a clamour and it is still going on by some South-Eastern youths operating as IPOB and affiliate groups demanding cessation from Nigeria.

“In all our previous engagements with the Northern and South-Eastern leaders and indeed with all leaders across the country, we all came to the consensus that Nigeria is stronger and better together, and that these hate-filled and divisive rhetoric and agitations are unjustifiable, they are unacceptable and even in many cases are illegal.

“I like to reiterate that today; Nigeria has seen enough violence, enough bloodshed in its history. The price of our unity has already been paid in the blood and lives of hundreds and thousands of soldiers and civilians. President Muhammadu Buhari spoke of his commitments to one Nigeria as arising from his experience in the military where he fought side by side with Nigerians of every tribe and faith from the 60s in the Congo.

Continuing, he said: “We protected each other, we put our lives on the lines for each other. We were brothers, even in the face of death. This is the type of nation that we must maintain. As royal fathers and leaders, I am sure you will agree with me that we have a role to play in countering the voices of divisiveness and the elements that seek to take us down a bloody path. “Let us continue to counsel the misguided elements among our youths and think that ethnic confrontation is wrong and that words can be thrown around carelessly without repercussion
“Having said that let me say that we are not deaf to the legitimate concerns and frustrations arising from different causes across the country at various times and these are not new. In the life of any nation and at various phase of any nation of course there will be frustrations and several complain.

“If you are to ask anyone, everyone and every part has its own grievances but these grievances have to be expressed graciously and managed with maturity rather than with scorn and disdain on the rights, freedom and the peace of others. I like to assure you that we all here are prepared of course to listen and to answer and very importantly to re-assure everyone that we are committed to the unity of Nigeria. And upon that foundation of unity, we can together build a prosperous and a great country. “But we must never take our diversity for granted and I think it is so important for us to re-emphasis this again and again. We cannot take our diversity for granted.

“As we round off this consultation  tomorrow  with the meeting with the governor, it is clear to me that we have all resolved to rule by words, by conduct and action to promote the unity of our nation. And on our part of government, let me say that we will ensure that the entire apparatus of government is deployed to ensure that no one threatens Nigerians territorial integrity, that no one threatens the lives or livelihood of any Nigerian living anywhere in this federation.

“Our objective is to provide the environment for prosperous nation, a nation where all regardless of ethnicity or religion can pursue their legitimate aspirations peacefully and securely. That is the kind of nation that we intend to build, that is the kind of nation that we need.”

The Acting President later went into a closed-door session with the traditional rulers. — Vanguard

—  Jun 21, 2017 @ 09:35 GMT