Ruga: Defend Yourselves, Nwodo Tells Igbos After Threat By Northern Youths

Tension Over Ruga Suspension

The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, on Thursday reacted to the 30-day ultimatum, a Coalition of Northern group issued to the federal government on the suspension of the Ruga settlement policy.

Nwodo in his reaction, described the call by the group as irresponsible, provocative and unlawful while calling on the Igbo to be ready to defend themselves against any form of threat.

Naija News earlier reported that a section of Northern Nigerian youths under the aegis of Coalition of Northern Group (CNG), had on Wednesday, issued a 30-day ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari, to implement the Ruga policy across the country.

It further warned that failure to accede to its demands will result in the group taking a line of action after the ultimatum.

The group also came hard on former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, southern governors, Femi Fani Kayode, and many others perceived to have opposed the Ruga settlement policy.

It will be recalled that President Buhari on Wednesday, announced the intention of the federal government to suspend plans on the proposed Ruga settlement.

Nwodo in a statement on Thursday in reaction to the threat from the Northern group, said: “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!”