Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has condemned the Northern
Youth Groups’ (NYG) directives for the Igbo living in the region to
vacate the 19 northern states on or before October 1, 2017.
The 16-member NYG led by Abdul-azzez Suleiman and Mohammed Eneji
Abdulhamid gave the order in Kaduna, recently.
Shettima made the condemnations in Maiduguri,
while briefing journalists on the “implications and dangers” of such
directives on the Igbo at the Government House, Maiduguri.
“The leaders and members of youth’s group have no ‘mandate and capacity’ to make such declarations on our Igbo brothers and sisters to vacate this region, comprising 19 states,” said Shettima.
He said that the vacation directive was dangerous rantings that could cause
divisiveness, adding that no one has the right to issue such
directives for the Igbo living in the 19 Northern states to vacate on or before October this year.
Shettima, who doubles as the Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum,
said: “Who gave them the mandate to make such declarations that could be
dangerous and divisive? The governors’ forum and its 19 members have
disassociated with the 16 Northern Youths Group. Two wrongs cannot
make a right.
“This is the time for us to embrace each other, as the problem of this country is not either religious or ethnic, but leadership at all
levels,” adding that two wrongs cannot make a right.
He called on the Igbo in the North to stay and continue to pursue their legitimate economic and social businesses in the North.
“Let us allow peace to reign, as I will write to the Inspector General
of Police, asking him to apprehend and monitor perpetrators of such divisive utterances and uncalled utterance to cause confusion and violence in the country,” said Shettima.