Middle Belt Youths hit back at Northern Youths Coalition over threat to Southerners

Igbo, Yoruba, Niger Delta Youths dare Northern Youth coalition 

Middle Belt Youth Council has berated Northern Coalition Group (CNG) over threat to Southerners in the region, describing the threat as “empty” and an attempt to seek relevance.

The Northern Coalition had in a televised press conference addressed by its spokesperson, Suleiman Abdul Aziz, vowed to take it out on Southerners living in the North if Southern governors did not accept the implementation of controversial Ruga settlements for Fulani herdsmen in their states within 30 days.

The group had also given President Muhammadu Buhari 30-day ultimatum to rescind his decision to suspend the Ruga settlement which he took following the outrage it generated.

In a statement on Friday, the Middle Belt Youth Council warned the Northern group to desist from threatening other Nigerians living in the region under any guise as they do not have the monopoly of violence.

“Nigerians should not take Suleiman Abdul Aziz and his co-travellers serious. They do not own any part of the north. They do not represent any northern youth. Southern Nigerians should ignore their type,” the statement signed by its President, Mr Emmanuel Zopmal said.

Zopmal further called on the Nigeria Police Force not to hesitate to arrest members of the group over their threats even as he urged Nigerians to disregard the threat as it was empty.

“Empty threats have been their stock in trade. They have been using it to raise incomes for themselves. They issued a quit notice to the Igbo in 2017 just to seek relevance among Nigerians.”

Meanwhile, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, Yoruba Youth Sociocultural Association and Niger Delta Youths have also in their respective statements, dared the Northern Youths Coalition over the threat.

In a statement yesterday in Abakaliki, the National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said that northern governors should be held responsible for any harm against the Igbo in the region,” Isiguzoro said.

“We are fully aware that these recent threat are targeted only at the lives and property of peaceful Nigerians of Igbo extraction doing businesses in the 19 northern states, and this is a declaration of war against the Igbo.

“OYC wishes to remind the leadership of the Coalition of the hate speech ban. If the northern governors, Northern Elders Forum, Arewa Consultative Forum, northern traditional rulers led by the Sultan of Sokoto and religious leaders are not behind the recent threat, they should condemn it vehemently and call the warring youths to order,” he noted.

On their part, the Yoruba Youth Sociocultural Association (YYSA) urged Yoruba residing in the northern parts of the country not to panic as the threat was empty.

“Since we understand their game of whimsy, no amount of intimidation can send Yoruba people away from northern Nigeria. We guarantee our people safety of lives and property. They should face their businesses and continue to live without fear. The Coalition’s threat is unworthy to worry about,” Deputy National Secretary of the YYSA, Adeboye Oluwabusoye said in a statement, Friday

Similarly, Niger Delta militants under the aegis of Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC) have warned that any attempt to grab land for herdsmen to graze their cattle in the zone would be met with resistance.

JRC spokesperson, Cynthia Whyte, in a statement, said the Niger Delta had already borne too much headache for the country and her people and could not afford the luxury of a new Ruga migraine.

Whyte said the 30 days ultimatum by the Coalition was diversionary. “We have felt the hands of Esau. We also know the voice of Jacob. In furtherance thereof, we declare that any attempt to infringe upon the peaceful and secure life of any Niger Deltan anywhere across the country will be met with just recompense,” Whyte said.

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