Spokesman of northern coalition ‘should be arrested’ over Ruga threat

A group known as the Midwest Movement of the indigenous people of Edo and Delta states has called on law enforcement agents to immediately arrest and prosecute Abdul-Azeez
Suleiman, spokesman of Coalition of Northern Groups (CNGs).

Reacting to the threat of the coalition to expel southerners in the north, the group said the “unwarranted statement” is a serious threat to the lives of Nigerians as well as an attack on the peace of the nation.

A statement issued by Pedro Obaseki, a spokesman of the group, reminded the federal government of its responsibility to protect all citizens irrespective of ethnicity.

“It is not only reckless, provocative and utterly contemptible, it is also a criminal act of sedition that MUST be promptly prosecuted in order to guarantee the fragile peace of the country,” the statement read.

“We therefore remind the Federal Government of its sacred responsibility to protect the lives of all citizens, irrespective of State of Origin and/or ethnic nationality.

“Failure to do so will be grossly irresponsible and a needless, yet avoidable descent to anarchy! It is incumbent on the Federal Government and its security agencies to act swiftly and decisively against Mr Abdul-Azeez Suleiman and the amorphous seditious group he claims to represent.

“Any delay or failure to do so by the Federal Government and the law enforcement agencies will amount to gross negligence and will expose the government to accusations of aiding and abetting a grand conspiracy against the lives and properties of innocent Nigerian citizens, particularly from a section of the country.”

The group also rejected the Ruga initiative, describing it as a” desperate plan to aggregate lands of indigenous people and transfer to Fulani herdsmen that have been terrorising the country”.

It added that no amount of threat would deter its resistance to the policy.

“The Federal Government MUST discard and abrogate the ill-fated RUGA Settlement Initiative in its entirety,” the group said.

“We wish to make it clear that no amount of threat from any quarter will deter us in this regard.

“In whatever guise this plot is presented in future (whether as RUGA or under any other name or form), we of the Midwest Movement and our peoples in Edo and Delta States will continue to resolutely resist it in every lawful way and with every resource available to us.

“We wish to make it clear that no amount of threat from any quarter will deter us in this regard. From events of our most recent past, it is clear that Nigeria sits atop a time bomb that may erupt at the slightest prodding.

“Consequently, we wish to remind the Federal Government, and the good people of Nigeria, of the urgent need for genuine and robust negotiations towards restructuring Nigeria’s skewed and fragile union, in line with the spirit of true federalism, and along the lines of the 1963 Republican Constitution.

“This is the ONLY WAY to rescue the country from the brink of chaos and collapse.”