President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo, on Thursday, told the Igbo to defend themselves against threat from any quarters.
Sounding it loud and clear, the leader of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation noted that the south-east will no more accommodate threats from northerners.
Nwodo’s comments were in reaction to the 30-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government to rescind its decision to suspend the RUGA project by the Coalition of Northern Groups.
In a statement on Thursday, he described the threat as irresponsible and provocative.
He also described the coalition’s threat to evict southerners from the north at the expiration of the ultimatum as treasonable.
Nwodo put the federal government on notice that the Igbo have no problem leaving northern Nigeria but stressed that northern will also leave the south-east.
“My attention has been drawn to a broadcast by Abdul Azeez Suleman, speaking for a coalition of northern groups in which he had the audacity to give the Federal Government an ultimatum of 30 days to rescind its decision on the suspension of its RUGA settlements policy.
“Abdul went further to threaten the expulsion of southerners resident in the North at the expiration of his ultimatum if the Federal Government does not rescind its suspension decision.
“This irresponsible, unlawful and provocative outburst reminds me of the northern youths’ notice to quit the North to southerners two years ago.”
“The threat to evict law-abiding Nigerians from their places of abode in northern Nigeria is treasonable and obviously like the gun-trotting herdsmen will go unnoticed by our federally-controlled law enforcement agencies.
“Let Abdul, the Federal Government and others like them, take notice that Ohanaeze has no objections to all Igbo in the North returning home so long as all northerners in the South-East would leave the South-East and we dismantle the federal structure imposed on us by the military and return to autonomous federating units.
“The nepotism exhibited by this Federal Government, her duplicity of standards in law enforcement, her undisguised Fulanisation policy is repugnant to the rule of law and good governance. We will no longer tolerate any further threats from these northern war mongers.
“After all, who should be the aggrieved under the circumstance? The millipede that has been marched is whimpering, but the person that marched it is complaining that his foot has been soiled.
“The southern Nigerian people that are bearing the yoke of oppression from cattle herders are trying their best to co-exist with their aggressors, yet it is the aggressors that are threatening further mayhem. This cannot be.
“I call on all Igbo to be ready to defend themselves. Enough of these threats!”
