Ndigbo Will Not Be Intimidated - Uzuko Umunna tells Nothern Youth

Ndigbo will not Bow to Threats by Northern Youth – Nzuko Umunna


A leading Igbo socio-cultural group, Nzuko Umunna, has reacted to the threat issued by a coalition of Northern Youths, asking all Nigerians of Igbo extraction to vacate the northern part of the country of face “visible actions”.


The threat which has caused some disquiet in the country came to many as a shock.


Reactions have also trailed the threat which Nzuko Umunna in its press release signed by Ngozi Odumuko (coordinator) and Jude Ndukwe (publicity secretary) described as “puerile”.


The group urged northern leaders to call their youth to order in order to “forestalling an impending cycle of violence that could further worsen the already fragile socio-economic and political situation of the country”.


It went further to hail the swift steps taken so far by some northern leaders especially the governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, in bringing the situation under control.


Nzuko Umunna concluded that Ndigbo would continue to pursue their collective aspirations as a people peacefully but vigorously.

Below is the full text of the statement.


We read the open threat by a group of supposed northern youths said to comprise Citizens Action for Change, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Arewa Youth Development Foundation, Arewa Students Forum and Northern Emancipation Network, asking all Igbo resident and or doing business in the north to vacate the region within the next three months.


While we would have loved to ignore such puerile calls by these obscure groups, it is pertinent to put our people on high alert following the antecedents of some misguided youths who over the years have always falsely assumed that they have the monopoly of violence over every other person.


We want to believe and we have strong reasons to do so, that the position of these youths on the Igbo resident in the north is not the same as those of the larger population including the elders, traditional rulers, political leaders, businessmen/women, leaders of thought, students and all law abiding citizens of that region.


While we call on leaders and people of the north to call their youths to order, we wish to use this opportunity to draw the attention of the international community to the looming crisis arising from these threats.


The agitation of the Igbo for their collective aspirations has been peaceful so far and will always remain so. This is within our rights to so do. It would amount to an unprovoked invitation to avoidable crisis that would blow no one any good wind if anybody or group of persons decide to use this to threaten the people.


While we also strongly urge the authorities to investigate these threats and bring the authors to book immediately as a way of forestalling an impending cycle of violence that could further worsen the already fragile socio-economic and political situation of the country, we urge Ndigbo to remain calm but vigilant as they go about their normal businesses everywhere.


Our governors and traditional leaders should, as a matter of absolute necessity, kindly begin to engage their counterparts from the north. Such engagements are the hallmarks of a peace loving people even in the face of extreme provocation.


In light of the above, we must commend the efforts of Gov Nasir El-Rufai who has swiftly risen to the occasion by ordering the authorities in Kaduna to bring all signatories to the so-called “Kaduna Declaration” to book with a view to prosecuting them forthwith. If Nigeria must remain a united nation, this is the kind of non-partisan approach to issues that would heal festering wounds.


As a safeguard, all seeming violence against the Igbo in the north should be reported immediately on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/nzukoumunna/ and or on our twitter handle at https://twitter.com/nzuko_umunna for immediate response.


Finally, while we call on these youths supposedly speaking for the north to rescind their threats, we assure Nigerians of northern extraction, and indeed every Nigerian, of their continued safety and well-being anywhere they reside and or do business in Igboland even as the Igbo will not in any way relent in pursuing their aspirations peacefully but vigorously.



Signed:


Ngozi Odumuko                                                                                                                      Jude Ndukwe

Coordinator                                                                                                                             Publicity Secretary