Northen Youths threat to Southerners an act of treason – Ohanaeze

President-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo has said the ‘irresponsible,’ and ‘unlawful’ threat to evict Southerners doing legitimate business in the North by a coalition of Northern Youths led by Abdul Azeez Suleman over the suspension of proposed Ruga settlements by the Federal Government was an act of treason and wondered why the security agencies have not arrested them.

Suleman had at a press conference earlier on Thursday, ordered the Federal Government to begin implementation of Ruga settlements in all the states of the federation within 30 days, threatening that should Southern governors fail to accept the settlements, they will take action against southerners living in the region.

The Ohanaeze leader described the threat as war mongering and called on the people of the Igbo to prepare to defend themselves.

“My attention has been drawn to a broadcast by Abdul Azeez Suleman, speaking for a coalition of Northern Groups in which he had the audacity to give the Federal Government an ultimatum of 30 days to rescind its decision on the suspension of its RUGA settlements policy,” Nwodo said in a statement.

“Abdul went further to threaten the expulsion of Southerners resident in the North at the expiration of his dateline if the Federal Government does not rescind its suspension decision.

“This irresponsible, unlawful and provocative outburst reminds me of the quit notice from Northern Youths two years ago.

“Ohanaeze insists that the RUGA policy is an Islamization and a Fulanisation policy. It is a violation of our constitution and Supreme court decisions on the Land Use Act. It’s suspension without cancelation leaves the Federal Government still in violation of our laws.

“The threat to evict law abiding Nigerians from their places of abode in Northern Nigeria is treasonable and obviously like the gun trotting herdsmen will go unnoticed by our Federally controlled law enforcement agencies. Let Abdul, the Federal Government and others like them take notice that Ohanaeze has no objections to all Igbos in the North returning home so long as all Northerners in the East leave the East and we dismantle the Federal structure imposed on us by the military and return to Autonomous Federating Units.

“The nepotism exhibited by this Federal Government, her duplicity of standards in law enforcement, her undisguised Fulanisation policy is repugnant to rule of law and good governance. We will no longer tolerate any further threats from these Northern war mongers.

” After all, who should be the aggrieved under the circumstance? The millipede that has been marched is whimpering, but the person that marched it is complaining that his foot has been soiled. The South that is bearing the yoke of oppression from cattle herders are trying their best to coexist with their aggressors, yet it is the aggressors that are threatening further mayhem. This cannot be.

“I call on all Igbos to be ready to defend themselves. Enough of these threats!” he declared.