Arewa forum asks northerners to avoid travelling to south-east

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has asked northerners to suspend plans of travelling to the south-east.

In a statement issued on Monday, Audu Ogbe, chairman of the forum, said the travel advisory became necessary following the killing of Ahmed Gulak, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Gulak, who is from the north, was shot dead by gunmen on Sunday while returning to Abuja from Owerri, Imo state capital.

Ogbe said where any travel should be made, it must be “absolutely necessary” otherwise such a trip to the south-east should be suspended.

“Yesterday, Sunday 30th May, 2021, one of leaders in the north was brutally murdered on the streets of Owerri Imo state by gunmen, most likely of IPOB and Eastern Security Network (ESN), who have been waging a public campaign of killings and other forms of brutalities, to realise their dream country of Biafra,” he said.

“The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) hereby issues a very strong advisory to all northerners who may wish to travel to the South East.

“Northerners to weigh the importance and necessity of such travels. Unless such trips are absolutely necessary and of compelling nature, like matters of life & death, they should NOT be made.

“And where the trip must be undertaken, the traveller should take every security precaution in his or her movements while there, including linking with the security agencies at the place/places to be visited.”

“The need to issue this travel advisory has become necessary against the backdrop of history, wherein events such the killings of northern leaders in 1966 triggered the events that led to a civil war that cost the country thousands of lives, and an untold sufferings to millions of innocent people. To be forewarned is to be forearmed, and a stich in time saves nine!”

Ogbe called on security operatives to unravel the killers of Gulak and bring them to justice.

“The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) also wishes to call, with the strongest voice, on the Security Agencies to do everything possible to apprehend those who assassinated Alh. (Barr) Ahmed Gulak in cold blood and bring them to justice,” he said.

“The lives of northerners, and indeed of ALL Nigerians matter, and the ACF cannot keep mute when our people, and indeed all Nigerians, are murdered in cold blood by misguided and atrocious people.

“Unfortunately in the midst of all this serious national crisis it would appear that the entire narrative from the South East has been taken over by IPOB and so-called unknown gunmen to the exclusion of established leaders. This is worrisome.”