New Telegraph

Ohanaeze debunks quit order to Northerners in S’East

Pan-Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has expressed concern over what it called dangerous narratives and negative reactions over the increasing conflicts between herdsmen and farmers in parts of the country. National Publicity Secretary of the group, Chief Chiedozie Ogbonnia, stated that framing of the ugly development as North versus South conflict would not provide the needed solution to the problem.

“While that is disturbing enough, we are distressed by the tenor of conversations on the subject pushed by persons who should otherwise do better. “Many are framing it as a North versus South conflict.

This is not correct. “Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls on the elite of Northern and Southern Nigeria to desist from inflammatory rhetoric and the canvassing of narratives that could stoke conflict and inflame passions. No one would gain from the consequences of such idle chatter, but Nigeria will lose big time.

“Specifically, we assert that no one in the South, not the least the South-East, has issued quit orders to all Northerners or will ask Northerners to leave. Ndigbo are nation builders and not destroyers. Rather, what has happened in both the South-West, South- South, South-East and the Middle Belt of Nigeria are plaintive cries of citizens and their governments for lawless inhabitants of our forests and lands to stop criminality.

“Surely, no upright and well-meaning citizen will dispute the imperative of having law-abiding citizens who pursue their vocations without doing harm to others. “We declare that our people demand the observance of due process by all groups. We deplore rash and unlawful retaliatory actions.

We condemn even more the activities of herdsmen instigating crises in the land through the invasion of farmlands, vandalism, rape and murders. “We call on Northern leaders to enjoin a return to the lawful herdsmen with whom our communities have interacted in various Hausa settlements across the South-East over many decades. It is the same call that citizens are making in the South-West, South-South and the North- Central.

“Leaders must restrain themselves from sharing the wrong narratives and perspectives. No one is driving Northerners away from the South. Ohanaeze calls on Northern leaders to join in the call against lawlessness and impunity by the few who do not represent the majority,” he said.

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