Kaduna State Police Command begins manhunt for Arewa youths who issued Igbo quit notice

KADUNA State police have begin a manhunt for the signatories to a recent letter published by certain Arewa youths who demanded that all Nigerians of Igbo extraction should leave northern Nigeria by October 1.

In a dramatic heating up of the polity, the leaders of several Arewa youth groups recently signed a document called the Kaduna Declaration in which they asked all Igbos to leave northern Nigeria by independence day. Their divisive and irresponsible call has been condemned widely with Kaduna State governor Mallam El-Rufai calling on the police to arrest and prosecute them.

Their call was made in response to the recent agitation for the creation of the sovereign state of Biafra which existed briefly between July 1967 and January 1970. However, the tension it has created has led to the authorities reacting and some of the youths have withdrawn their statement.

In response to Governor El-Rufai's call, the Kaduna State Police Command has launched a manhunt for the signatories to the statement. Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Moshood  Jimoh, the police spokesman stated that every Nigerian has a right to live anywhere in the country as enshrined in the constitution.

CSP Jimoh said: “We are using this opportunity to warn anybody that wants to foment trouble to beware because we will deal decisively with such group or persons.”

Ohanaeze Ndigbo spokesman Chukwudi Ibegbu, added: “This invidious act has no doubt sent shock wave over the country. The president-general of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Chief Nnia Nwodo has called on Ndigbo all over the north to remain calm but vigilant.”

In addition, Ohanaeze expressed the hope that Nigerian security agencies will do the needful by protecting the lives and properties of all Nigerians in general and Ndigbo in particular in the north in view of the threats. Chief Nwodo said he would not react to the statement made by the Northern youths until the northern elders speak on the matter.

“I will not react to a statement made by the northern youth but if their fathers speak, then I will summon my executive and we deliberate on it, thereafter, I will speak. It is our hope that the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Northern Elders Forum will also rise to the challenges of the moment," Chief Nwodo added.

ACF spokesman Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim, said no person or group has any right to threaten people who are going about their legitimate businesses. He added that the ACF will not support anything that will bring about disunity in the country and affect its corporate existence.

Mallam Ibrahim said: “We are not even aware of the threat but even if we are aware, we are not in support of that. We should remember that we are practicing democracy with its rules and regulations.

"Our constitution which we operate guarantees the free movement of all Nigerians to any part of the country to pursue their legitimate businesses. No group of persons or individuals have the mandate to threaten any group or individual in pursuance of his legitimate businesses as guaranteed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

Meanwhile, the Ndigbo Youth Council  said that with N44trn investment in northern Nigeria. Ndigbo cannot be driven out. It described the quit-the-north order as a security threat and a crime against the Nigerian State.