From Tony John, Port Harcourt

Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has expressed concern about the magnitude of losses its citizens experienced during the EndSARS protest in the southern part of the country, particularly South East.

The coalition also declared  Nigerians have right to live in any part of the country irrespective of their tribes, religion or belief.

The CNG also said the peace of the nation is paramount and no citizen should be threatened to leave his or her place of abode for whatever reason.

Northern Elders Forum (NEF) Chairman, Ango Abdullahi warned that governors from South East states should ensure lives and livelihoods of northerners in their areas of responsibility are protected.

Abdullahi stated this, yesterday, during the coalition’s town hall meeting of northern elders and community living in the South South region, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He said: “You recall recently there has been protest that was captioned EndSARS. It was used by some irresponsible elements to cause havoc in various parts of the country.

“We also stated in our statement that we suspected an agenda behind those calls. And we have been vindicated by the fact that the genuine protest was taken over by vandals and thugs.

“EndSARS was used for various reasons.  Unfortunately, some of those reasons were political. Now, we came because we saw no reason innocent residents, wherever they are, irrespective of where they come from, who are not participating in the protest, should be subjected to violence in various parts of the country, especially violence against northerners in different parts of the South.

“They suffered enormous violence and loss of lives and assets of enormous magnitude. What was surprising to us is those, who perpetrated the violence against northerners, are people who are crying for possession rather than those who actually suffered the consequences of the violence.

“It is now becoming clear that most of the violence that has been meted out to northerners, in various parts of the South, came from South East states.”

He said it is time security agencies assured Nigerians “that this must end. This must stop. They should not allow this red line to be crossed; because people get away with criminal behaviour without sanctions, without punishment. That is why they carry out this irresponsible behaviour.”

The elder statesman said the coalition would visit South East governors to remind them of their responsibilities to protect residents in their areas of responsibility, irrespective of their states of origin.

“No excuse would be tolerated in the future in terms of what we have witnessed recently because northerners living in various parts of the country are not the ones that created the police,” he said.

He, however, commended Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike, for his efforts in ensuring citizens in the state were protected.