The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, OYC, has carpeted the Arewa Consultative Forum,(ACF), over claims that northerners were being killed in some southern parts of the country by members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
Ohanaeze described the clams by the northern socio-cultural group(Arewa), as a ploy to complicate issues and incite violence against Igbos residing in northern Nigeria.
OYC, in a release jointly signed by its President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and Secretary-General, Okwu Nnabuike and forwarded to DAILY POST on Wednesday, insisted that there was no killing of northerners in the South-East zone as it further described the allegations as falsehood.
DAILY POST recalls that Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has raised an alarm over alleged killing of northerners in some Southern parts of the country.
The forum also called on the federal government to as a matter of urgency ask the various state governments to set up commissions of inquiry into the alleged recent killings of northerners.
ACF National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Yawe in a statement in Kaduna said it received a report from its state chairman in Rivers State, Alhaji Ibrahim Tukur Tudunwada that northerners living in Rivers and Abia states were being held hostage by members of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
The statement called on President Muhammadu Buhari to act immediately to save the lives of the affected northerners.
It alleged that about 30 northerners have been killed, while 50 buses, trailers and trucks belonging to northerners in the said states have been destroyed by IPOB.
Ohanaeze youths, however, reassured the leadership of Arewa Consultative Youth Forum,(ACYF) led by Alhaji Yerima Shettima of the safety of northerners in the South-East zone, urging them to remain committed to the mutual agreement reached with Ohanaeze Youth Council,(OYC), on the safety of Igbos in northern Nigeria.
Parts of the release read, “Information available before the Igbo Youth Leadership on the allegations against south East raised in the media by Arewa Consultative Forum National Publicity Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Yawe, that over 30 people killed, 50 trucks and trailers belonging to northerners were destroyed by Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), OYC views this latest claims as a ruse and ploy to complicate issues and incite violence against Igbos in the North.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, OYC, Worldwide, had investigated across 95 Local Government Areas of South East on the alleged harassment of northerners but discovered that there was no iota of truth from the allegation by Alhaji Emmanuel Yawe, to the public. We urge northern leaders to cross-check their facts on Security issues before going public.
“The allegations by ACF on the killings of northerners in the South East is mere rumours, falsehood and fake news. Igbo youths challenge Emmanuel Yawe, to produce the video clips of the said killings in the south East as northerners are safe, doing their normal businesses without any form of intimidation or harassment in the zone”.
