Geofrey Anyanwu and Bianca Iboma- Emefu
Piqued by the alarming insecurity in the country, the Coalition of Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders of the Southern Nigeria has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to convoke without further delay a National Security Summit.
The security summit, the group said should address issues threatening the national unity and the very existence of Nigeria.
Rising from an emergency plenary meeting of the group held at Jobourg Hotel, Awka, Anambra State, the youths who reviewed topical issues regarding security threats in the southern Nigeria in particular and Nigeria at large also called for the arrest and prosecution of the leadership of Coalition of Northern Youths that made unguarded and inciting statement. The youths warned ahead that “the southern youths have capacity within and outside the country to protect and defend the people of the southern Nigeria,” should the President decide to do the needful to make the country safe. The communiqué issued at the end of the meet- ing was signed by the President Ohaneze Ndigbo Youths Worldwide, Ambassador Arthur Obiora;; President, Yoruba Youth Council, Comrade Eric Oluwole;; President, Supreme Council of Ibibio Youths, Atauko Samuel Brown;; President, Aro Youths Ethnic Kingdom, Nze Egbechue Kingsley and President, Ijaw Youths Council, Comrade Eric Omare. Others are the leader from Akwa Ibom State, Ulap Joseph Okon;; President, Urhobo Youth Council Worldwide, Festus Igherebuo;; President, Esian Youth Council, Innocent Ebhote;; President, Isoko National Youth Assembly, Ovie Umuakpo;; President, National Youth Council of Ogoni, Comrade Matthew Dighi;; President, Etche Youth Federation, Comrade Emmanuel Amadi and President, Igala Cultural Development Association, Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezukwu. The youths who expressed dismay over the porous and deteriorating security situation in Nigeria, in the communiqué said they found out among other things that the Fulani herdsmen’s activities in Nigeria was “a deliberate political plots on the part of the Fulani hegemony to establish domination across the country.
It reads in parts, “The meeting observed that the proposed establishment of Ruga Settlement is ill-motivated. The meeting purported that the establishment of Fulani vigilante group across the country as in the case in Ondo state was also reviewed. As a matter of fact, the council traced the killing of the daughter of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the Afenifere leader to the unabated and un- trammeled activities of the Fulani herdsmen.
“We reject the establishment of Ruga settlement across the existing states in Southern Nigeria and call on our people to resist same. We condemn vehemently the unguarded and provocative statement from the leadership of the Coalition of Northern Youths with respect to the temporary suspension of Ruga Settlement in the country.
“We also reject totally Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Vigilante Group in Ondo State and other parts of the Southern Nigeria, which we consider as illegal and a clandestine move by the Jihadist’ exponents to establish Fulani Emirates or political hegemony across the nation.
“The meeting also calls on the federal government to launch investigation into the killing of Afenifere leader’s late daughter, Mrs. Olakunrin with the view to bringing the culprits to book.”
Similarly, a multi-ethnic and socio cultural group, YIGBA has urged President Mohammadu Buhari, to convoke a national di- alogue, in order to address invasion, violence and brutal killings of Nigerians across the nation.
The group explained that it would afford Nigerians the op- portunity to speak on issues affecting the country and proffer solutions that will aid government in their effort to tackle
insecurity. The convener of the initiative, Pastor Ladi Thompson and a group elders held a summit in Lagos, highlighting some of the reprogramming initiative that would aid a national dialogue.
Thompson said, “We don’t build peace and unity among Nigerians. Though, there have been recurrent violence, war should not be an option.
“We have ranted and abused each other, long enough. Our discourse about the nation must be done solely in speech, founded in peace, truth, brotherly love and respect for the sovereignty of our nation, with determination to preserve our flag as stainless banner”, he noted.
He stated that the forum would serve as an interim measure to put an end to the wave of threats and counter threats emanating from different sections of the country. In the same vein, a legal luminary, Mr. Yemi Akinsanya said it is time to develop the language of diplomacy, just like our forefathers, no matter how thorny the issues are peaceful measures and dialogue would end violence.
The group has as members respected diplomat, Dr Chris Kolade;; former Chief Executive Summit Group, Prof. Anya Anya;; an engineer, Shyngle Wigwe;; and a former Nigerian ambassador to the United States, Cyprus, Israel, Prof. George Obiozor. The elders said Nigerians must embrace a new policy that values peace, mutual respect and productive engagement of diversities.