Igbo ultimatum: Northern Elders Forum berate El-Rufai, Shettima for ordering the arrest of Northern youths

The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) have expressed support to the call made by the Coalition of Northern Youth Groups for Igbos residing in the region to leave within three months or be kicked out. In a chat with newsmen in Zarai, Kaduna state today, the NEF spokesperson, Ango Abdullahi, said the Igbos cannot continue to reside in another region of the country when they are agitating for the secession of Nigeria to form their own country, Biafra. According to him, it is a hypocritical act by the Igbos. He also berated the Kaduna and Borno state governors, Nasir El-Rufai and Kashim Shettima, for condemning the Northern youths and ordering their arrest. “I am disappointed in the decision taken by Northern Governors’ Forum disowning and condemning the agitation by this young agile and progressive youth groups. Let me ask these Northern governors, whom are they representing, are they representing spirits, ghost or people of the north? Recently, people from eastern part of this country, specifically Igbo, were busy calling for the Sovereign State of Biafra and from all indication their leaders including governors are behind them.”he said According to Ango, when Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indeginous People of Biafra IPOB, was released on bail recently, over 100 vehicles escorted him to his residence including big personalities from the south-west and south-east. “This is somebody who has been agitating for the breakup of Nigeria but his people were behind him, therefore, I am behind the youths. This is because the northern youths are pushed to the wall, we have been calming them down in any event similar to this. These people always pretend that the north is cheating them, not minding the fact that southern Nigeria was developed by resources from the north. Please, look for a book written by Adamu FiKa, the Waziri of FiKa on Nigeria’s budget before and after independence. Each year, up to the time Nigeria gained its independence, none of the two regions was able to provide for itself. I mean none of the western and eastern regions had the money to effectively run the affairs of its region until they get financial support from the Northern region.” Ango said it was the same money from the North that was used to construct Nigerian Railways, refineries and other facilities. “First oil exploration was conducted using money from groundnut pyramid, cotton, hide and skin among other cash crops from northern Nigeria. However, these people tend to forget all these goodies provided by the North toward ensuring the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria. They always look down on us, feeling that Northerners are parasites in this country.”he said