Despite the order given by Governor Nasir El Rufai that individuals who signed a communique issued by a coalition of northern youths in Kaduna ordering all Igbos in the north to leave before October 1, it was gathered that the Nigerian Police is yet to carry out any arrest.
Signatories to the 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).
Yerima had said, “We are also telling our brothers (northerners) out there in the South-East to get prepared to come back home.”
On Wednesday, el-Rufai had ordered the immediate arrest and prosecution of the leaders, saying the call by the groups could destabilise 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 the three-month ultimatum stating that their method of executing their threat is not through violence.
Meanwhile, police spokesman at the Force Headquarters, Jimoh Moshood hinted that police operatives were “looking for them.”
“We are looking for them. They are not sitting in the market waiting to be picked up,”
The Kaduna police command spokesman, Aliyu Usman, however 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.
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 carrying out their threats.
“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.”
The group of northern youths have remained unrelenting in their position and berated both Kaduna state Governor and his Borno counterpart for their condemnation of their activities.
Speaking for the youth leaders, Suleiman said, “We are disappointed by the treacherous positions assumed by governors Nasir el-Rufai and Kashim Shettima, who, in pursuit of their blind ambition for the vice-presidency, chose to side with the secessionist Igbo against the interest of peace-loving Nigerians.
“The governors are known to be waiting in the wings for Mr. President to die, so they can further their plots to seek the Presidency.
“We are irked by the hordes of lies issued by Shettima, ostensibly on behalf of the 19 northern governors, in which he referred to us as faceless. Shettima has disconnected from reality.” he said.
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