South-West elders under the auspices of Agbekoya Farmers Society of Nigeria have warned Arewa youths against any attempt to evict Yoruba people from the North.
The society gave the warning in a Friday statement signed by its President-General and National Publicity Secretary, Chief Kamorudeen Okikiola and Mr. Olatunji Bandele respectively.
The society was reacting to the 72-hour ultimatum issued by the Arewa Youth Assembly after Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho declared an independent “Yoruba nation” and ordered Northerners to leave the South-West geopolitical zone.
In light of the declaration, the Arewa Youth Assembly said it was unfortunate for Igboho to say that the South-West geopolitical zone would no longer accept northerners.
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“This is despite the fact that the constitution of the country has made it crystal clear that any Nigerian can live in any part of the country irrespective of his or her religious and tribal leaning.
“The Arewa youth Assembly still affirms its position as a law-abiding civil youth organization, notwithstanding it will not fold its arm and watch innocent Nigerians been threatened by individuals who clearly have no regard and respect for the law.
“As such will like to bring to the notice of Mr Igboho that since it is he who wants his people out of the North to form a Yoruba nation, we will make it easy for him by asking Mr Igboho to provide a means of transportation to convey his people to the southwest.
“We are hereby giving him the ultimatum of 72hrs to move his people out or we will be forced to take necessary actions by personally taking the responsibility of getting his people back home,” Speaker of the Arewa Youth Asssembly, Mohammed Salihu Danlami, said in a statement.
However, the Agbekoya Society cautioned the Arewa youths against beating the drums of war through their utterances.
The society called on the Northern governors and elders to properly guide their wards to prevent them from plunging the nation into crisis through reckless comments.
“Giving 72 hours ultimatum and forceful ejection of Yoruba from the North will bring about retaliation from Southwest and this may cause public disorder which may lead to war.
“The call by Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho asking the Yoruba living in the North to come back home does not warrant an ultimatum and forceful ejection because he himself cannot force any Yoruba who decides to stay back in the north to come back home.
“Nigerians have never experienced this state of insecurity under any democratic government and have never been so divided against themselves like this.
“We need to reconsider our stance as a country and also re-examine the constitution that binds us together, because it is now very obvious that the 1999 constitution is a major problem. Rather than bind us together, it is tearing us apart,” the Agbekoya statement read in part.