A group of Northern youths under the aegis of North-East Youths Peace
Development Initiative, NEYPDI, yesterday urged President Muhammadu
Buhari led Federal Government to dialogue with those agitating for
Biafra, instead of applying force against them.
The
Indigenous People of Biafra on a Peaceful Protest over the Arrest of
the Director of Radio Biafra, along Ikwerre road in Port Harcourt,
Rivers State. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke
The group also dissociates itself from the call for the Igbos in the north to vacate the area.
The National President, NEYPDI, Alhaji Kyari Idris Abubakar, in a
statement said: “Like those of us who have been suffering from
insurgency in the past years we would not hesitate to go against
anything that would lead to violence in the country. FG should dialogue
with the agitators and not force, as it is not the best approach in
handling the matter.”
Abubakar expressed regret over the recent call for Igbos to move out
of the north, adding that it was capable of generating tensions and
possibly lead to violence. “I want to remind the group that we have
northerners in the south-east and other parts of the country and if the
threat is carried out, they would also be asked to move back to the
north, the development that negates the principle of peaceful
co-existence as a nation,” he said.
The youth leader also urged President Buhari and the Service Chiefs
to step into the matter in order to avoid it from degenerating.
According to Abubakar since the agitators of the sovereign state of
Biafra did not enjoy the support of many Igbo leaders including the
governors, there was no need for one to go as far as asking the Igbos to
quit northern part of the country.
Abubakar who is also the leader of Lagos State chapter of Arewa
Consultative Forum (ACF) further stated that the constitution of the
country gives liberty to its citizens to choose any part of the country
as residence. “The major task ahead of northern youths in the country is
not for Igbos to quit the north but to join hands with the new
government and Service Chiefs to end the ongoing insurgency in the
region,” he said.
The Nigerian presidency has warned those agitating for a breakaway
Biafra republic to have a rethink, saying the federal government would
not fold its hands and allow anyone plunge the country into crisis.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who gave the warning on Saturday, in
Jos, said government would not watch while some individuals and groups
create unnecessary tension in the country in the guise of seeking to
break away from Nigeria.
“We need to build the civic capacity to defeat the false and
dangerous premises and assumption of violence extremism. Never again
should we allow mindless violence inspired by false and evil precepts to
threaten our national security,” Mr. Osinbajo said.
“Let me again call on persons or group in the country who have some
grievance or disaffection to submit to peaceful and democratic means of
expressing themselves.”
The vice president spoke at the graduation ceremony of the Executive
Course 37 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies
(NIPSS) Kuru, which graduated 63 participants Saturday.
In his spech, Mr. Osinbajo reminded those embarking on mass protest
for Biafra that their “right to protest is limited by the rights of
others to safety and peaceful existence”.
“We can offer our country opinion without violating the law of the land or threatening law and order.”
He urged the protesters to join hands with the Buhari-led
administration to develop Nigeria, saying the administration would soon
end the Boko Haram insurgency in the country.
“Let me reiterate that Boko Haram terrorism as well as their ideology
will soon be defeated and consigned to history,” Mr. Osinbajo said.
He admitted there were educational setbacks in the country, but said
the APC-led administration would tackle the challenges in the sector as a
means of ensuring better future for Nigeria’s younger generation.
“While accepting that our educational system is in a dangerously
parlous state, the solutions are obvious even if not easy,” the
Vice-President said.
“We have to focus on early child education, retrain teachers, ensure
that our curricular will prepare our children for the 21st century.”
He charged the NIPSS new graduates to use the experiences garnered
during the 10-month course to develop Nigeria in their fields of
endeavour.
Earlier in an address, the Director General of NIPSS, Ahmed Tijani,
said the course’s 37 participants made valuable contributions for
national development, particularly in the educational sector.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that with Saturday’s graduation, NIPSS has since
1979, when it was established, graduated 1781 course participants.