FORMER Nigeria’s Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has called for the arrest and prosecution of ‘Igbo-Must-Go’ promoters in the South-West, warning against the negative consequences of such divisive comments in the country.
The former Vice President made the call on his official X account on Thursday, August 1.
He decried the government’s silence, days after such divisive comments were made by @lagospedia which urged Lagosians and Southwest stakeholders to prepare for the massive protest of #IgboMustGo scheduled for August 20 to 30, 2024.
“They have one month from now to leave and relocate their businesses from all South-West states. We urge Yorubas living in the South-East to return home,”@lagospedia said in the tweet.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 poll regretted that such rhetoric was not only divisive but endangered the harmonious coexistence of Nigerians to live and work freely in any part of the country.
Abubakar noted that Nigeria was not cut out for any genocidal war, which often has negative consequences on national unity.
“The recent call on X(formerly @twitter) for a protest under the hashtag #IgboMustgo’, demanding the forced relocation of Igbo people from Lagos and other South-West states, is deeply troubling and fundamentally opposed to the principle of unity and coexistence that define our nation.
“History has shown us the consequences of allowing hatred and bigotry to fester, as seen in Rwanda. What began with inflammatory rhetoric led to devastating outcomes. We must learn from these lessons and act decisively,” he added.
According to the Adamawa State-born politician, the rule of law must prevail, and those found guilty of incitement should face the full wrath of the law.
He also noted that Nigeria’s strength lied in its diversity, and urged every Nigerian to resist any attempt to sow the seed of discord..
He also noted that Lagos State and the entire South-West region had accommodated people of other cultures to further bolster national unity, growth and development, adding that such must be sustained by the region.
“The government and security agencies must act swiftly to protect this fundamental principle and ensure that every Nigerian can live free from fear of discrimination or persecution.
The ICIR has reported that the former Vice President advised President Bola Tinubu to resign if he could not handle the economic and insecurity challenges bedeviling Nigeria.
Abubakar said this in a post on his X handle on Tuesday, January 30.
He decried the numerous incidents of kidnapping and other attacks that had occurred across Nigeria in the past months.
The ICIR reports that such challenges, worsened by the Tinubu administration’s reforms, have culminated in the hunger and #EndBadGovernance protests currently ongoing across the country.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.