The Northern Elders Forum, NEF has said Nigeria cannot afford another civil war. Therefore, it is the group’s view that the Igbo ethnic group be allowed to secede if that is what they want.
This position was contained in statement signed by Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Director, Publicity and Advocacy, Northern Elders Forum, Abuja on Monday.
He said, “The Forum has arrived at the difficult conclusion that if support for secession among the Igbo is as widespread as it is being made to look, and Igbo leadership appears to be in support of it, then the country should be advised not stand in its way.
It will not be the best choice for the Igbo or Nigerians to leave a country we have all toiled to build and a country we all have responsibility to fix, but it will not help a country already burdened with failures on its knees to fight another war to keep the Igbo in Nigeria.”
The NEF statement reads in full: “Northern Elders Forum has reviewed of events and tendencies which suggest that the country is headed for more crises.
Nigerians live in fear of violence today, and in fear of uncertain future.
“The capacity of the Nigerian State to secure citizens, protect the country’s territorial integrity and resist violent assaults on our unity is weakening to the levels of making threats that have no impact.
Armed criminals of all types have increased their audacious stranglehold over our lives in all parts of the country.
Irredentists are increasingly asserting their influence over in the South East and some part of the country, and in the manner that millions of Nigerians now live.
“Rhetorics from political leaders and ethnic champions who speak in threats and demands routinely suggest that the sentiments in support of irredentism are becoming more widespread.
All Nigerians are paying the price of failure of two sets of leaders. At the national level, the administration appears to have lost the capacity to halt the gradual descent of the country into anarchy.
Political leaders in the South East appear to have submitted to violence and terror of IPOB and ESN.
Muted voices of millions of Igbo cannot be heard so that fellow Nigerians could understand the degree to which secession by the Igbo represents the popular choice.
This nation has had to fight a terrible war to preserve the country. The North had paid its dues in that war, as indeed it did in many ways throughout the history of the country.
The North in particular has more than enough challenges, and we recognize that violent secession by any part of Nigeria will compound the problems all Nigerians live with.
This position was contained in statement signed by Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Director, Publicity and Advocacy, Northern Elders Forum, Abuja on Monday.
He said, “The Forum has arrived at the difficult conclusion that if support for secession among the Igbo is as widespread as it is being made to look, and Igbo leadership appears to be in support of it, then the country should be advised not stand in its way.
It will not be the best choice for the Igbo or Nigerians to leave a country we have all toiled to build and a country we all have responsibility to fix, but it will not help a country already burdened with failures on its knees to fight another war to keep the Igbo in Nigeria.”
The NET statement reads in full: “Northern Elders Forum has reviewed of events and tendencies which suggest that the country is headed for more crises. Nigerians live in fear of violence today, and in fear of uncertain future.
“The capacity of the Nigerian State to secure citizens, protect the country’s territorial integrity and resist violent assaults on our unity is weakening to the levels of making threats that have no impact.
Armed criminals of all types have increased their audacious stranglehold over our lives in all parts of the country.
Irredentists are increasingly asserting their influence over in the South East and some part of the country, and in the manner that millions of Nigerians now live.
“Rhetorics from political leaders and ethnic champions who speak in threats and demands routinely suggest that the sentiments in support of irredentism are becoming more widespread.
All Nigerians are paying the price of failure of two sets of leaders. At the national level, the administration appears to have lost the capacity to halt the gradual descent of the country into anarchy.
Political leaders in the South East appear to have submitted to violence and terror of IPOB and ESN.
Muted voices of millions of Igbo cannot be heard so that fellow Nigerians could understand the degree to which secession by the Igbo represents the popular choice.
This nation has had to fight a terrible war to preserve the country. The North had paid its dues in that war, as indeed it did in many ways throughout the history of the country.
The North in particular has more than enough challenges, and we recognize that violent secession by any part of Nigeria will compound the problems all Nigerians live with.
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