The ‘quit notice’ given to Igbos living in the northern part of Nigeria by the ubiquitous Coalition of Northern Groups was on Thursday withdrawn.
The groups had in June ordered the people of South East extraction to leave the North by October 1.
However, the youths asked the Federal Government to create an opportunity for the Igbos to hold a referendum on their future.
Addressing a news conference attended by Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, former Kano State governor, Kabiru Gaya, former Minister of Agriculture, Sani Zango Daura and some Igbo leaders across the north, the Spokesman of the Coalition, Abdulaziz Suleiman, said they decided to withdraw the quit notice because of their interest in a one united and peaceful Nigeria.
They also want the immediate closure of all open drug markets in the north.
He said: “Mindful of the concerns generated by the clause in the Kaduna Declaration that advised the Biafran Igbo to relocate from Northern Nigeria and for northerners in the South-East to do likewise, and our commitment to the unity of our dear country, we immediately opened channels for dialogue and interaction with government agencies, national and international groups, institutions and figures.
“Admittedly, we came under intense pressure from genuinely concerned national, political, traditional, religious and cultural leaders prominent among which were a section of the Northern Governors’ Forum under its Chairman, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, northern traditional rulers and the Directorate of State Security (DSS).
“We also had several fruitful interactions with various concerned individuals and groups. Most significant was our correspondence with the then Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and most recently our interface with the Presidency through the Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters.
“As a consequence of these vigorous engagements and as cultured people with a tradition of respect for our national values, leaders and elders, we are today (Thursday) pleased to announce the immediate suspension of the relocation clause otherwise referred to as the quit notice from the Kaduna Declaration.
“This suspension we are proud to say, is also out of respect for and in reaffirmation of our allegiance to one united, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria and in our unshaken confidence in the political will and sincere commitment of our dear President Muhammadu Buhari to take a holistic look at all the concerns we raised.
“We are also pleased to announce here that the Kaduna Declaration has achieved most of its major objectives, chief among which include forcing the hitherto deliberately neglected dangerous Biafran issue to the front burner of the nation’s discussion agenda.
“In the meantime, we shall firmly pursue our petitions to the United Nations and the Nigerian federal authorities calling for the appropriate sanction of Nnamdi Kanu, other IPOB leaders and their sponsors in addition to labeling them a terror outfit.”
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
