Northern youths under the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (ACF) have reiterated that the quit notice given to Igbo resident in the northern part of Nigeria is still in force.
At a meeting in Kaduna on June 6, ACF gave Igbo in the north up till October 1 to leave the region.
But speaking with reporters in Kano on Thursday, Shettima Yarima, chairman of the forum, said while the order stands, the Igbo people willing to remain in the north were free to do so.
“We stand by our notice to Igbo but those who are interested in Nigeria can stay. But for those who are not interested, you can go,” he said.
“Our mission is for peace; the unity of Nigeria is being threatened by the current agitation from the Igbo and we want to make sure that those who are interested in Nigeria stay but those who are not interested should go.
“The purpose of town hall meeting in Kano is to review the early stand took and we are collecting views of people here from the north-west. We will also move to north-central and north-east on whether to maintain our position or reconsider it.
“We don’t have the right to force the people to go. So, we are using peaceful means because don’t have police and army.”
Shortly after the eviction order, Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna, had asked security agencies to arrest those behind it.
But none of the members of the coalition was arrested.
Yarima had granted different interviews where he cast aspersions on Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the group is the forefront of the cause to create a separate state for the Igbo.
In his address on Thursday, Nastura Ashir, chairman of the Coalition of Northern Groups, said the northern youth had notified the United Nations of their mission for a united Nigeria. and copied all
Ashir said evidence of the alleged atrocities of Kanu had also been sent to the UN.
“The attitude of the IPOB leader is worrisome because of the future of this nation… it creates a serious disaffection to northerners.”
Stakeholders across the country have been holding meetings since June when the threat was first issued.
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