A coalition of northern youth groups tagged, “The Kaduna Declaration”, which gave all Igbo residing in any part of the north three months to relocate to their places of origin, has reversed the threat.
Recall that the group had also directed northerners residing in the east to relocate back to the north within three months .
The spokesman of the group, AbdulAziz Suleiman, while briefing newsmen in Kaduna had earlier said, “All northern civil society and pressure groups are by this declaration mandated to mobilize for sustained, coordinated campaigns at their respective State Government Houses, State Houses of Assembly, Local Government Council Secretariats and Traditional Palaces to mount pressure for steps to be taken to ensure enforcement of the directives contained herein.
“The North hereby openly calls on the authorities and other national and international stakeholders to acknowledge this declaration by taking steps to facilitate the final dissolution of this hopeless union that has never been convenient to any of the parties.
”From today, June 6, 2017, when this proclamation is signed, the north, a critical player in the Nigerian project, hereby declares that it will no longer be disposed to coexisting with the Igbos and shall take definite steps to end the partnership by pulling out of the current federal arrangement.”
But in a u-turn on Wednesday, Yerima Shettima, President, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, and Isaac Balami, Arewa Consultative Forum Congress’ President, appealed to Nigerians not to panic.
In a video footage released online, Balami said the Northern groups had observed how the issue was “being discussed globally.”
He said the groups will create a platform to discuss the outrage and condemnation trailing the eviction threat.
His words: “This is not the time for us to discuss separation. We need to come together. Arewa is known for peace.
“It is obvious that the initial approach was not the best. We need to work together as a nation
“I want to tell Nigerians living at home and in the diaspora that there is hope. This nation is going nowhere.
“Shettima here wants to assure that everything that he has done was in good faith. This is one Nigeria and we are going nowhere.”
