A PRESS STATEMENT BY THE CONFERENCE
OF AUTOCHTHONOUS ETHNIC NATIONALITIES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATIONS (CONAECDA)
It is with deep concern that we address
our fellow Nigerians on issues that currently portend danger to the lives of
the ordinary citizens of the country.
The activities of divisive elements
seeking to divide the country have continued unabated, and with the recent
notice to members of the Igbo ethnic nationality to vacate “the North” or a
so-called “Northern Nigeria” by a collection of some youth groups, a new level
in the agenda of those calling for disintegration of Nigeria has been reached.
The various (minority) ethnic groups
of Northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt under the auspices of its network
CONAECDA, which brings together the traditional rulers, Elder statesmen, youth,
women and community development leaders of the North and Middle Belt, deem it necessary
to call on all Nigerians to tread with caution as they pursue their various agendas.
We the minority ethnic nationalities
of the Northern States, have repeatedly and collectively stated in clear terms
that we do not and will not support the disintegration of Nigeria. Indeed, we
have and continued to call on all Nigerians; all leaders, traditional rulers,
cultural, community, economic and political leaders, to work together to
address the myriad of problems bedeviling the nation rather than deny their
existence. Denying the existence of problems in our national life is a recipe
for failure, but identifying and addressing them is what will make Nigeria the
pride of every Nigerian and of the black race.
These being said, we here make it
clear that apart from the recent “notice of eviction” to the Igbos, the so-called
“Kaduna Declaration” contains the declaration of independence from Nigeria by
some persons from the northern part of the country, and the creation of a new
country based on terms to be dictated by those seeking to impose their own
peculiar definition of a new “Nigerian” federation.
It is against this background that we,
the minority ethnic nationalities from 14 of the 19 northern states and the FCT,
hereby restate our resolution that no one should think any part of the lands of
the member communities of the autochthonous ethnic minority nationalities will
be a part of any new country that anyone dreams of creating. We categorically
disassociate the over 300 minority ethnic nationalities of the northern states
from any false claims that the so-called “North” is threatening the collective
security and unity of this country. We wish to remind the “Northerners” that
since 2006, starting in Borno State, and thereafter accelerating to engulf
several other states, unmitigated violence has been unleashed on the minority
nationalities, where our communities have been destroyed and our people driven
from their lands by Terrorists. Our communities are currently being attacked
and devastated by so-called Fulani herdsmen, where marauders and criminal land
seekers are intent on conquering the Middle Belt states, while the federal and
most state authorities do little or nothing. It is therefore a figment of the
warped imagination of any group to stand up and claim that there is a “Northern
Nigeria” that could issue a quit notice on Nigerians from any part of Nigeria
living and doing business in the Middle belt and ethnic minority states.
We use this medium to remind all in
authority of their oath of office and their duties to the Nigerian state and call
on them to initiate actions to address grievances of components of the country
and ensure the security of lives and properties of citizens where ever they
are.
We also call on all traditional
rulers and community development leaders of our member communities to provide
all citizens resident in their communities with security within the limits of
community security and to report all mischief-makers to the security services.
While we respect the rights of
Nigerians to freely express their opinions and to lawfully agitate for their
rights, we also call on all our citizens to avoid threatening and intimidating
the people and our country in the name of pursing their interests.
SIGNED
Z.K.A. Bonnat
NATIONAL COORDINATOR
Suleman D. Sukukum
SECRETARY GENERAL
Da. Ericsson Fom
CONFERENCE PRESIDENT
DATED
Thursday 8th June 2017
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