Don’t Dare Arrest Arewa Youth Leaders —Northern Elders Warn El-Rufai

The Northern Elders Forum [NEF] has warned the Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai not to dare arrest Arewa youth leaders over the quit notice issued Igbos living in northern Nigeria.

The forum sternly condemned the plan to arrest members of the Coalition of Northern Groups [CNG] following Kaduna state government’s statement that it has obtained an arrest warrant on the radical youths.

NEF spokesman, Prof. Ango Abdullahi stated that the Kaduna state governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has no moral stand to arrest the youths.

He said rather that northerners should be applauded for waking Nigeria from its slumber. 

Prof. Abdullahi told Leadership: “The government owns the power to arrest whoever they want to arrest.

“But I hope that they would arrest the youths and put them on trial in the court of law that belongs to Nigerians and not the ones they set up. 

“We know that the government of El-Rufai doesn’t even obey the law or court orders. 

“I supported the youths’ declaration. They did a good job and by waking up Nigeria from its sleep.” 

Kaduna state government had on September 28 announced that it obtained a bench warrant from the court to arrest members of the coalition.

The youths had, in June, issued deadline for Igbos living in the North to quit or be forced out of the region on or before October 1.

They have, however, withdrawn the ultimatum following the intervention of the Borno state governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima.

The Kaduna State police command has insisted, though, that the warrant of arrest on the Arewa youths from the court of law will be fully implemented. 

Speaking, the state commissioner of police, Agyole Abeh, said, “Any warrant of arrest from a court will be carried.”

The youths are being charged for inciting disturbance, disturbing public peace, injurious falsehood, unlawful assembly, criminal conspiracy.

The cited offences are punishable under the penal code laws of Kaduna state 2017.

—