Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the leading Igbo social and cultural group, issued a statement on Saturday urging Igbo citizens living in Kano State to avoid taking sides in the current political unrest.
With pro and against protests surrounding the verdict of the Appeal Court, Ohanaeze warned Igbo residents from joining in any of the events.
You may recall that the Appeal Court removed Governor Yusuf from office and installed Gawuna as the state’s lawful leader.
However, the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the verdict demonstrated that Yusuf’s triumph was upheld by the appellate court. The court, however, ruled against it because of a typographical error.
In response to the court’s ruling, some members of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), to which Yusuf also belonged, took to the streets. The state may see additional demonstrations today (Saturday).
Ohanaeze has warned that there is reason for concern that the planned protests could turn violent and lead to political strife.
In the event of a breakdown in law and order in Kano, the main Igbo body urged all Igbo citizens to take precautionary steps, including halting their businesses, because “this will help safeguard Igbo properties and prevent the destruction of their goods within Kano State.”
We appeal to the security agents to make sure that Igbos are not made sacrificial lambs to the potential ramifications of these two protests in Kano today,” reads part of a statement released by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the factional Secretary-General of Ohanaeze.
“Kano’s distress cries mean the party bosses on both sides need to rein in their supporters and get them to obey the law so that peace and order can be maintained. Our democracy could be at risk if we don’t handle these protests between Kano rivals properly.
Through its many avenues of communication, Ohanaeze Ndigbo reminds Igbos in Kano that staying out of politics is essential to protecting their assets. We urge all people living in Igboland to put their own safety first, to refrain from doing any actions that could further inflame the situation, and to respect the law.
“We must protect our interests and keep the peace. We are showing that we care about the well-being of our citizens by maintaining our neutrality. Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls on all Igbos in Kano to put themselves first and help keep the area peaceful.
