Safety of northerners important in South-South, South-East – NEF

Okwe Obi, Abuja

Pan-Arewa socio-political organisation, Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has warned that it would not condone any form of attack on northerners living in the South-South and South-East as a result of the#EndSARS protest.

NEF Director, Publicity and Advocacy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, in a statement, yesterday, claimed that governors, security agencies and communities in many southern states were aware of ongoing assaults on northerners in their areas and warned that such attacks could endanger the lives and livelihood of southerners living in the north if not stopped.

Said Baba-Ahmed:  “NEF has been alarmed by the recent and deliberate targeting of northerners in many parts of the south, with reported killings, destruction and stealing of their assets and other assaults which had been going on for days.

“The forum had resisted the pressure to raise the alarm earlier at these unacceptable acts of hostility on Nigerians living and earning legitimate livelihood peacefully in many communities in the south, out of concern that doing so would further worsen a major national crisis.

“Many people in the north are understandably concerned by the plight of family members who have lost lives and assets and are living in fear.  Unrestrained, criminal and ill-advised attacks on northerners in the south is capable of putting our fellow citizens in the south in danger. This must be prevented at all cost by responsible leaders of communities.

“The forum calls for immediate stop of attacks and harassment of northerners in many southern communities.”

He, however, commend efforts by some community leaders to reduce the vulnerability of northerners in many southern communities and urged state governors to take urgent steps to improve the protection of northerners and give them assurances of their safety.

“The forum advises northerners living in southern states to stay put and continue to pursue their livelihood. They should compile a verifiable inventory of lives and property lost, and approach relevant authorities for appropriate restitution,” he said.