Ango Abdullahi says federal government must deal with Biafran agitation firmly

NORTHERN Elders Forum (Nef) spokesperson and former Ahmadu Bello University vice chancellor Professor Ango Abdullahi has said that the federal government should deal with the issue of Biafran agitation firmly and not tolerate any constitutional breach.

Over the last two years since President Muhammadu Buhari has assumed office, agitation for the recreation of the republic of Biafra that existed briefly between July 1967 and January 1970 has resurfaced. Last week, there was a total shutdown across Igboland to mark the 50th anniversary of Biafra Remembrance Day, with all commercial activities paralysed during the day.

Asked about the way to resolve the impasse, Professor Abdullahi said Biafran agitation arose from the Nigerian political process. He added that it came from a power struggle in the First Republic, which culminated in the assassination of the then leaders and the subsequent emergence of Ojukwu as Biafran leader.

Professor Abdullahi said: "It should be noted that Ojukwu, assisted by Igbo intellectuals, thought they should pocket the rest of Nigeria. Thus, the so-called Biafra agitation is rooted in the 1966 coup and I want to say that if people are still asking for Biafra almost 50 years after the civil war, then it is necessary for us to sit down and ask ourselves how we want the nation to be.

In dealing with the renewed Biafran agitation, the federal government should adhere strictly to the provisions of the Nigerian constitution relating to the rule of law. Accordingly, the federal government should be firm in dealing with any individual or group trying to create problems for the rest of Nigeria under any guise."

He added that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is two years old and so far, life has not changed for him and his family. According to Professor Abdullahi, one major conference is required on attitudinal change, particularly among the elite.

"Each time I speak, I give very high credit to our founding fathers, they did extremely well with very little. In their hands, the country had no means of getting huge resources except from our agricultural products, yet these people did what they did.

"Tell me what infrastructure has been added seriously on top of what they have done? The railway, the ports, the airports and so on, just tell me as in spite of the billions of naira that is coming or that is supposed to be coming into the Nigerian coffers, what has happened?" Professor Abdullahi added.