Following the bloody riot which took
place in Anambra state on Wednesday, December 2, governors of the 19
northern states of Nigeria have called on those agitating for a separate
country to tread the path of caution.
The governors condemned the killings recorded from the protest in Anambra, urging the protesters to go about their course in a civil manner.
The Leadership reports that their call was made on Thursday, December 3, at an urgent meeting where security issues were discussed.
Led by their chairman, Governor Kashim Shettima, the northern governors said they had also taken “undisclosed” measures to avert reprisal attacks over the Onitsha violent march reportedly cost the lives of seven people.
Speaking on behalf of the 19 governors, the Borno state governor, represented by his spokesman, Mallam Isa Gusau, said the governors were in touch with one another on Thursday.
Gusau stressed that the governors had taken some firm measures aimed at averting any spill-over.
The spokesman for Governor Shettima, said the governors took the undisclosed measures, following media reports claiming that worship places were torched during the violence which broke-out in Onitsha on Wednesday.
“The northern governors condemned the Onitsha violence without blaming any individual or group. The governors appealed for calm, saying all Nigerians must realise that the evil being perpetrated by the Boko Haram insurgents against innocent Muslims, Christians and followers of other religions regardless of their geo-political divides since the last six years, was more than enough trouble for the country and hence the need to come together as a single unit to collectively fight terrorism that is a threat to all law abiding Nigerians.
“We condemn the Wednesday crisis in very strong terms. We have been in touch with one another today. The governors of major cities in the North in particular have been in critical touch to share thoughts and we have collectively taken firm measures to ensure that the violence doesn’t spread to any part of the 19 northern states and we will also be working with our colleagues in the South to nip the crisis in the bud but we will not disclose the measures we have taken so that those who may want to take advantage of the Onitsha mayhem don’t know our strategies,” the governor’s representative stated.
“However, it is surprising to the Northern states governors forum that any Nigerian at all can even contemplate any kind of violence when we already have serious problems of Boko Haram insurgents that are killing Muslims and Christians, killing northerners and southerners, attacking Mosques, Churches and markets, in an effort to kill all of us that do not subscribe to their interpretation of Islam. We have Boko Haram that kill Hausa, Fulani, Ibo, Yoruba, Kanuri, Ijaw and anyone they are able to come across. We thought that the existence of Boko Haram should have been enough to make all Nigerians fuse into one and fight a common enemy.
“It is really sad that any Nigerian can contemplate violence. We are not blaming any individual or group because there are security agencies whose job it is to safeguard lives and property and do investigations where necessary; we will not go into their duties. We beg all Nigerians to be calm and go about their duties in peace,” the Borno state spokesman stressed.
In a bid to still the raging storm within the northeastern region of Nigeria, northern elites have met with Igbo leaders in Owerri, the Imo state capital.
A high-powered delegation consisting of northern royal fathers, was welcomed by Governor Rochas Okorocha, on Thursday, December 3.
Naij.com
The governors condemned the killings recorded from the protest in Anambra, urging the protesters to go about their course in a civil manner.
The Leadership reports that their call was made on Thursday, December 3, at an urgent meeting where security issues were discussed.
Led by their chairman, Governor Kashim Shettima, the northern governors said they had also taken “undisclosed” measures to avert reprisal attacks over the Onitsha violent march reportedly cost the lives of seven people.
Speaking on behalf of the 19 governors, the Borno state governor, represented by his spokesman, Mallam Isa Gusau, said the governors were in touch with one another on Thursday.
Gusau stressed that the governors had taken some firm measures aimed at averting any spill-over.
The spokesman for Governor Shettima, said the governors took the undisclosed measures, following media reports claiming that worship places were torched during the violence which broke-out in Onitsha on Wednesday.
“The northern governors condemned the Onitsha violence without blaming any individual or group. The governors appealed for calm, saying all Nigerians must realise that the evil being perpetrated by the Boko Haram insurgents against innocent Muslims, Christians and followers of other religions regardless of their geo-political divides since the last six years, was more than enough trouble for the country and hence the need to come together as a single unit to collectively fight terrorism that is a threat to all law abiding Nigerians.
“We condemn the Wednesday crisis in very strong terms. We have been in touch with one another today. The governors of major cities in the North in particular have been in critical touch to share thoughts and we have collectively taken firm measures to ensure that the violence doesn’t spread to any part of the 19 northern states and we will also be working with our colleagues in the South to nip the crisis in the bud but we will not disclose the measures we have taken so that those who may want to take advantage of the Onitsha mayhem don’t know our strategies,” the governor’s representative stated.
“However, it is surprising to the Northern states governors forum that any Nigerian at all can even contemplate any kind of violence when we already have serious problems of Boko Haram insurgents that are killing Muslims and Christians, killing northerners and southerners, attacking Mosques, Churches and markets, in an effort to kill all of us that do not subscribe to their interpretation of Islam. We have Boko Haram that kill Hausa, Fulani, Ibo, Yoruba, Kanuri, Ijaw and anyone they are able to come across. We thought that the existence of Boko Haram should have been enough to make all Nigerians fuse into one and fight a common enemy.
“It is really sad that any Nigerian can contemplate violence. We are not blaming any individual or group because there are security agencies whose job it is to safeguard lives and property and do investigations where necessary; we will not go into their duties. We beg all Nigerians to be calm and go about their duties in peace,” the Borno state spokesman stressed.
In a bid to still the raging storm within the northeastern region of Nigeria, northern elites have met with Igbo leaders in Owerri, the Imo state capital.
A high-powered delegation consisting of northern royal fathers, was welcomed by Governor Rochas Okorocha, on Thursday, December 3.
Naij.com
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