The Arewa Youth Forum (AYF) has sent a stern warning to the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government concerning the violence caused by bandits and armed Fulani herdsmen.
The Northern group has said that Nigeria risks going into another civil war if the government doesn’t act fast to curtail the incessant abductions, killings and violence. The National President of the group, Alhaji Gambi Gujungu sitting in Kaduna released a statement on Wednesday, February 17.
In the statement, the group stressed that the rising tension which was brought about by the quit notice issued to Fulani herdsmen by the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu is giving them a cause to worry.
The statement reads in part;
“The Arewa Youth Forum is worried by the prevailing impasse and rising tension across the country precipitated by the quit notice given to Fulani herdsmen by the Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and the actions that had trailed that incident.
“As it stands, owning to the actions of non-state actors and inaction of state actors, mainly the Federal Government and the state governors, the country is fast drifting and action must be taken immediately to stem this drift.
“After keeping silent for a long time, the Federal Government has, again, resorted to its usual rhetoric of issuing statements that over time had not made any impact on the situation of things in the country. Instead, the situation in the country has continued to deteriorate with each region looking within and resorting to self help as if the centre is no longer there.
“It is in view of this that the AYF is calling on the Federal Government to immediately act, on behalf of Nigerians that voted them into power, to prevent another civil war in the country. Many citizens across the country are agitated in view of the prevailing situation.”
The group added that the government can only achieve the unity of the country if they quell the violence, insecurity, deprivation and poverty with immediate effect.
“There is a serious need for synergy between the Federal Government and the states to achieve all these and many more. State governors should be told that government’s inability to clamp down on criminals should not be an avenue to malign a whole ethnic group or even a group of people.
“Criminals should be treated as criminals, arrested, prosecuted and made to face the full wrath of the law anywhere they reside or commit crime in Nigeria. This is what government is expected to do.
“The invention of quit notice is not only alien to us but a recipe for anarchy, disaster and even war. This is a road we all as citizens must strive not to travel”.
“We have at different times aired our views on the need for government to put its house in order and tackle the insecurity in the country headlong. We appreciate that the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, has listened to agitations of Nigerians by bringing on board new service chiefs. However, they should hit the ground running because there is no time for honeymoon.
“The new service chiefs should immediately come up with a new agenda on how to end the insurgency in the North East, banditry in the North West and the general insecurity across the country. The time to act is now before the situation gets out of hand.”
