Teryima Andrew, Jos
Youth groups in Plateau state have condemned and disassociated themselves from a youth group that recently call for the eviction of Igbo speaking people from northern parts of the country within three months.
Plateau Youth Council (PYC) and Coalition of Arewa Dialogue Youth Forum, in their separate press conference on Friday in Jos, Plateau state faulted security operatives for failing to effect arrest on the said youth till date.
“We are calling on the relevant security agencies to arrest and prosecute any person or group of people that threaten the peaceful existence of the Nigerian state. We believe that such person or group be considered terrorist and treated accordingly. A waste of time could be misinterpreted as tolerance.”
The two groups said the problem has lingered because non of the suspects have been apprehended days after the said northern youth made pronouncements that Igbo speaking people vacate northern Nigeria.
Chairman (PYC) Fabong Yildam, and converner of coalition of Arewa Muhammad Adamu, also said the delay in arresting the suspects was a threat to other law abiding Nigerians, it therefore call for immediate arrest and prosecution of the suspects.
Mr. Yildam stressed that “their ultimatum of asking the Igbo people to leave the North is very childish, absurd and absolutely irrational.”
Leader of the coalition of Arewa Dialogue Youth Forum subjected national dialogue to end regional agitations between the north and the south.
“We call on the acting President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to call for national dialogue to address all the grievances from all our people.”
PYC disowned the group, he said the action of the said youth could tear the country apart “we dissociate ourselves totally from the reckless statements credited to the groups mentioned above. We formally state that we do not condone the Kaduna Declaration; we do not condone hate, tribalism, exclusion, violence, and discrimination of any sort.”
Simillarly, leader of coalition of Arewa Dialogue Youth Forum, reiterated that the statement issued in Kaduna doen’t reflect the opinion or views of every northern Nigeria youth, the same way the action of IPOB and MASSOB doesn’t reflect views and opinions of every person in the south.” Mr Adamu said.
“Nigeria belongs to everybody. As such, every Nigerian has the right to leave in any part of Nigeria without any fear of intimidation or harassment to his life or property.”
Meanwhile, President “Plateau G17 Youth for Peace and Progress Forum” Musa Bagos, has assured Igbo speaking people in Plateau state of adequate that security of lives and property.
Mr. Bagos gave the assurance Friday, in a solidarity visit to the Igbo community in Jos, Plateau state. He said the Kaduna declaration was an evil intension aim at destroying unity and peaceful coexistence of Nigerians.
