Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, has said that it did not send quit notice to Igbo living in any part of Yorubaland, the South West Region of Nigeria, adding that all Nigerians have the right to live in any part of the country as provided by the 1999 constitution.
The group, therefore, disowned the alleged quit notice and urged the Igbo to continue to live peacefully wherever they are in the region.
While urging Nigerians to embrace peace, Afenifere called for a harmonious relationship among the various ethnic groups in the country.
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In the same vein, the South-East Governors’ Forum also assured Nigerians from other ethnic groups of their safety in Igboland.
The chairman of the forum, Ebonyi Governor, David Umahi, gave the assurance, yesterday when he was inspecting properties damaged by hoodlums at Okposi and Uburu communities of Ohaozara LGA of Ebonyi in the wake of the #EndSARS protests across the country.
Umahi said he had spoken with leaders from all the geopolitical zones and assured them of their citizens’ safety.
“They, in turn, assured us of the safety of our people in their lands, especially those living in the South-West. They urged us to ignore the threats of crisis being circulated in the social media.
“We want to assure all ethnic groups residing in the South-East to go about their business peacefully and report any threat to the governors and security agencies.”
He said there were criminal elements across the country and the youths had been directed to fish out the perpetrators of the destruction to face the law.
“We believe in the oneness of the country where justice and equity will thrive. We believe that together we will be stronger. I appeal to the Igbo youths across the country not to join the protests further.
“They should not allow anybody use them in terming the protests an Igbo affair.”
Governor Umahi further urged Nigerians to be patient while describing the period as trying moment for the country.
ARTICLE THE #ENDSARS PROTESTS; A FUNDAMENTAL LESSON IN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE – By Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
