Arewa controversy: Saraki reacts to threats against the Igbos in northern Nigeria
- Senator Bukola Saraki has lashed out at the Arewa youths over hate comments against Igbos
- The Senate president says the Igbos are Nigerians and have the rights to settle wherever they deem fit
- Saraki warned that the government must begin to take a critical look at the causes of the agitations around the country
Nigeria's Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has reacted to threats and rising ethnic agitations in the northern part of the country.
The leader of the Nigerian parliament called on Nigerians to tolerate each other and display understanding.
Saraki says Nigeria's greatest strength lies in her numbers and as such, the nations's unity must be guarded jealously.
Saraki spoke when the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern States and Abuja, led by its Chairman, Rev. Yakubu Pam, visited him at the National Assembly in Abuja.
READ ALSO: South east governors make bold move after Arewa youths issue quit notice to Igbos in north
“Let me through you appeal to all our people for tolerance and understanding. I want to appeal that we preach tolerance. I believe that it is our responsibility as leaders, to impress on our people to be very tolerant and let us seek unity,” Saraki’s Special Assistant on Print Media, Chuks Okocha, quoted him as saying
“We also wish to appeal to everybody that we should in our speeches and actions work for the unity of the country, because you made reference to some of the issues but this is not about who is right or who is wrong, we should always ask ourselves that what can we do to unite our people and mend the fault lines.
“This is very important. I am hopeful, that we are only going through these challenges because of the state of our economy and I believe by the time the economic recovery plan of the present administration begins to yield fruits, some of these issues will fizzle out,” Saraki said.
On the economy
Saraki said: “I believe by the time we address the economy, by the time we get the economy right, it will eliminate all these tension. Until we get there, we must make sure that we have a country where we are all working together.
“Let me assure you that things that are of concern to you are also of concern to us. And the 8th Senate has shown that in most of our deliberations, we put Nigeria first. The challenges we have in Nigeria are not selective as to which part of the country a person comes from.
“The economic challenges do not discriminate against Muslims or Christians, nor do they favour Northerners against Southerners. I think with that, there are lessons. The economic hardship affect all of us and we must unite to jointly eliminate those challenges.
“However, we should not lose faith because as religious leaders your disposition affect will affect your followers. You must have faith that this country belongs to all of us. We all have rights. We will ensure that we respect that. We must have faith that this country will continue to grow from strength to strength. I plead for your understanding and tolerance,” he said.
Growing agitation
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Rev Pam, expressed concern over the series of agitations by some interest groups who are calling for restructuring and raising allegations of marginalization.
“I heard this morning that some people are asking some people to leave the Northern part of the country. This kind of comments and utterances should not be encouraged.
“To us, the hour has come for government to take a second look at the causes of these agitations so that all sides can be given a sense of belonging in the scheme of things in the country. We need all hands to be joined together to move this country forward,” he said.
Saraki has outrightly condemned the hate statement made by Arewa youths, saying such statements cannot be condoned in Nigeria
Regarding the frequent clashes between herdsmen and farmers
Rev. Pam said: “Cattle rearing is a private business and as such herders should be educated on the modern way of handling their cattle rearing business so that their cattle should not be let loose into farms of the locals in different parts of the country in order to put an end to frequent clashes between the herdsmen and the local farmers”.
The Northern CAN President called on the National Assembly to pass a law that would guarantee freedom of worship for all faiths and re-introduction of religious education in the school curriculum, even as he appealed to the that the Senate to intervene to stop attacks on places of worship in some parts of the Northern states.
On underage marriage
The cleric also lamented the incidence of forced marriages against under aged girls, saying, “We want to make an appeal that the Senate should look into this social problem so that it would not lead to break down of law and order in some parts of the country especially from those considered to be victims of this social malaise”.
Atiku's reaction
In a similar vein, former vice president, Atiku Abubakar has reacted to the quit notice issued to Igbos in the north by a coalition of northern youths describing it as a threat to national security.
NAIJ.com had reported that a group named, the Coalition of Northern Youths (CNY) on Tuesday, June 6, issued a statement ordering Igbo people in the north to vacate Northern Nigeria within 3 months.
It was learnt that learnt that the group also urged northern people in the south-eastern part of the country to immediately start moving back to their various states.
The group threatened that from the 1st October, 2017, it will begin to prove to the whole world the north was no longer part of any federal union that should do with the Igbos.
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Atiku via his official twitter page said the country is too precious and has pressing issues to attend to than the divisive statement of the northern youths.
The All Progressives Congress chieftain also criticised an Igbo group that also issued a counter-statement asking Igbos to return to the south east region while also ordering the northerners out of their state.
Northern Governors react
Following their controversial statement urging Igbos to leave the north, the Arewa youths are about to taste the wrath of the 19 northern governors.
Northern governors have called for the arrest of the Arewa youths who made the controversial statements against Igbos
Governors of the nineteen northern States on Wednesday, June 7, disowned the coalition of Arewa Youths. Borno Governor and Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, Kashim Shettima, spoke on behalf of his colleagues in Maiduguri.
The Governors said they were in touch with heads of security agencies and had taken measures that will guarantee the rights of all Nigerians to live in the 19 States in the three geo-political zones, within the north.
The Governors also called on security agencies to arrest the youths and probe the motive behind the call, saying the call by the youths was a suspicious act that fell in line with recent trend of arms catch, coup rumours which may not be coincidental.
Watch this NAIJ.com video in which Acting President Yemi Osinbajo delivers a speech on the Biafra war.