The Northern Elders’ Forum, NEF has thrown its weight behind the call by the Coalition of Northern Youth Groups for Igbos to leave the region within three months.
The NEF leadership berated the Northern Nigeria Governors’ Forum for disowning the youth groups behind the ultimatum.
At a briefing in Zaria, NEF Spokesperson Prof Ango Abdullahi said it was hypocritical for the Igbo to continue to live in other parts of the country while agitating for Nigeria’s break up. He said, “I am disappointed in the decision taken by Northern Governors’ Forum disowning and condemning the agitation by this young agile and progressive northern youth groups.
“Let me ask these Northern governors, who are they representing, are they representing spirits, ghost or people of the north?
“Recently, people from eastern part of this country, specifically Igbo, were busy calling for the Sovereign State of Biafra and from all indication their leaders including governors are behind them.”
He insisted that whoever feels Nigeria “is not conducive for him” should quit saying what the northern youth groups did was not a sin.
He lamented that none of the Northern governors reacted to the persistent call for the actualization of Biafra and other agitations.
Abdullahi said when Nnamdi Kanu was released on bail recently over 100 vehicles escorted him to his residence including big personalities from the South-west and South-east.
“This is somebody who has been agitating for the breakup of Nigeria but his people were behind him, therefore, I am behind the youths.
“This is because the Northern youths are pushed to the wall; we have been calming them down in any event similar to this.
“These people always pretend that the North is cheating them not minding the fact that Southern Nigeria was developed with resources from the North.
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“Please, look for a book written by Adamu FiKa, the Waziri of Fika, on Nigeria’s budget before and after independence.
“Each year, up to the time Nigeria gained its independence, none of the two regions was able to provide for itself.
“I mean none of the Western and Eastern regions had the money to effectively run the affairs of its region until they get financial support from the Northern region,”
Abdullahi said, “First oil exploration was conducted using money from groundnut pyramid, cotton, hide and skin among other cash crops from Northern Nigeria.
“However, these people tend to forget all these goodies provided by the North toward ensuring the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria.
“They always look down on us, feeling that Northerners are parasites in this country,” he said.
On his part, former lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, asked the Federal Government to stop Igbo elite from hiding under the guise of Biafra agitation to terrorize Nigerians.
Mohammed said the Igbo were not superior tribes in the country noting, “The Igbo must note that they do not have a monopoly of violence and are not superior to other Nigerians in any way to warrant their incessant threats and attacks on others.
“Those who are behind their nefarious Biafran bid are walking the streets free and nobody is doing anything about that. It is very sad and disappointing for the Buhari government to allow Biafra agitation to almost overwhelm the country.
“This is a major threat to Nigeria that is well organized by the Igbo elite and it is unfair for the government to gloss over it for political reasons.
“If the Buhari government continues to allow the Igbo to push for Biafra unhindered only to come out against the warning by Arewa youths, it will backfire because nobody can play with the intelligence of the North.”
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