From: TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
A group, the Arewa Initiative for Peaceful Coexistence in Southern Nigeria (AIPCSN), has sued for peace among Nigerians, irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliations.
The group has also debunked the allegation made in some quarters that the recent clash between soldiers and supporters of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State was targeted at Muslims.
National Coordinator of AIPCSN, Alhaji Musa Saidu, who spoke in Port Harcourt, on Sunday, said the clash was not a religious crisis, adding that both Muslims and Christians were victims of the mayhem.
Alhaji Saidu described the incident, that occurred in some parts of Abia and Rivers States, as well as the reprisal attack in Jos, Plateau State, where innocent Nigerians were killed, as unfortunate.
He appealed: “Nigerians should learn to live together as brothers and sisters. We need peace and we want peace in all parts of the country. We want to live in peace. Even if you kill the man selling groundnut, or the shoemaker (cobbler) in the street, what is your gain? My plea is, let us live together. We don’t want reprisal from any quarters.
“We (AIPCSN) are countering the statement made by a so-called group in Rivers, that Muslims were killed by IPOB members in Rivers. When you say Muslims, you are giving it a religious coloration. I want Nigerians not to see it as a religious matter. In that clash, both Muslims and Christians were victims.
“Please, we should not bring religion into it, because if we do that, it would have more adverse effects on everybody in the country. Let us appreciate our peaceful coexistence and live in harmony”, the Muslims leader appealed.
The Arewa group further expressed disappointment with the five Northern States governors, that visited the State recently, saying that victims of the clash had expected them (the governors) to commiserate with them, or visit the scene of incident.
The coordinator said that it was a pointer that the Northerners living in the Southern part of the country, particularly in Rivers, were not recognized and valued by their people.
Alhaji Saidu: “Now, we knew that five of our own governors came to the State, stayed and left without a message for us. We had expected the governors to visit us and know how we are feeling. We had expected them to come and commiserate with the Hausa Community in Rivers State. They did not visit us, they did not visit the scene where the incident happened in Rivers State. Their action was not good”.
The group also appealed to politicians, the electorate and others involved in electoral process, to ensure that the forthcoming election in Anambra State, is peaceful.