A Northern elder statesman, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, has warned the federal government against its proposed move to arrest the Arewa youth following the issuance of a 3-month quit ultimatum to the Igbo living in the north.
Dr. Junaid Mohammed while speaking during a chat with Saturday Punch noted that any attempt to arrest the Arewa youths over the quit notice to Igbo would lead to crisis in the region.
He added that the Federal Government allowed such situation to happen after it gave the pro-Biafra group, Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB, led by its embattled leader, Nnamdi Kanu a chance to propagate its propaganda.
The second republic lawmaker said: “The threat to arrest the youth, in my opinion, is not only counter-productive but also inappropriate.
“This is because ideally, with the position of things, every Nigerian has the right to live and conduct their businesses in any part of the country.
“But the Federal Government left their toes behind when they allowed the IPOB, which is being financed by the Igbo political and business elites both in the country and in the Diaspora to be issuing statements freely.
“Therefore, any attempt to arrest Arewa youths will lead to problems. I am resident in Kano State and the last time the Kaduna State Government brought up the issue of arrest, there would have been violence if an attempt to arrest anybody by the police had been made.”
Speaking further on the issue and in support of Mohammed’s stand, the Chairman of Northern Elders Council, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, added: “I believe that the Federal Government was somewhat late in addressing the threats issued by the Igbo.
“These threats by both the North and South are unconstitutional and illegal because every Nigerian has the right to live and work in any part of the country he or she chooses.
“I think the Igbo should not allow a man, who was not even born during the civil war to incite violence in the country. Both the Hausa and the Igbo are well travelled traders and if this country splits today, that opportunity is gone, a market of 180 million people. All the regions will suffer for it.”