Ohanaeze youth tackles Arewa over call for dissolution of Nigeria

UMUAHIA—OHANAEZE Youth Council, OYC, has condemned in strong terms the call by Arewa Youth Development Foundation for the dissolution of Nigeria, describing it as a big offence that warranted treasonable prosecution.

OYC also condemned the demand by the Arewa Youths for Southerners in the North to leave within two weeks and for Northerners in the South to do same.

The group, in a statement by its National President, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said:   “Our attention has been drawn to a provocative warning against Ndigbo by the Arewa Consultative Forum, threatening to interfere with Igbo businesses in the North.

“This is also on the heels of the call by the Arewa Youth Development Foundation for Southerners to quit the North within two weeks.

“This is a similar approach to the event that culminated to the unfortunate crisis of the late 60’s when undue sentiment, emotional outburst and propaganda were allowed to take the better part of reasoning of some people in the North.

“Later, millions of innocent Igbos and Easterners were to pay the supreme sacrifice.

“The truth is that there is no single threat to any Northerner in the South East or Igboland. They are here doing their normal businesses and unmolested by anybody.

“The governors of the zone as the chief security officers of their various states only took constitutional measures to safeguard their states against insecurity, especially in view of the recent discoveries and arrests of Boko Haram suspects in the zone.

“Do the Arewa people want the South-East governors and people to keep quiet in the face of Boko Haram threat to the zone,” OYC said.

The group said it was shocking that at a time Nigeria was passing through serious security breaches, some misguided youths, under sponsorship by fifth columnists, could be making divisive calls inimical to their fatherland.

According to the group, Arewa youths are being used by some disgruntled persons who did not wish the country well.

He urged Nigerians to resist their plan.

The group said:  “Our concern about the shameful outing in the palace of Emir of Kano is that the youths of the region who have been notoriously misruled for long by the same people that sent them on the dirty mission should have rather questioned their sponsors on their ignoble roles in bringing the region and Nigeria to its present situation.

“The same people that foisted penury, deprivation and frustration on the innocent Talakawas (commoners) of the North are now sending them mischievously on an errand that threatens Nigeria’s unity.

“Our message to the contemporary youths of the North is to resist the attempt of the fifth columnist and merchants of topsy-turvy politics to herd them into an ill-fated mission.”

It, however, noted that not all Northerners were part of the group out to pull down the country, and urged the North to resist those who hide under the cloak of the North to cause confusion and chaos.

“We know these few elements that pretend to be the conscience of the North and we also know the true conscience of the North,” the group stated.

OYC also made it clear that there was no threat to any Northerner in the South-East or Igboland and assured Northerners not to panic, as there was no cause for alarm.

 

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Ohanaeze youth tackles Arewa over call for dissolution of Nigeria