Northern Youths back down, reconsider quit notice to Igbos

The President of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, Shettima Yerima, has said the northern youths’ coalition which issued a quit notice to Igbo living in Nigeria’s north will reconsider their stand.

Shettima, who was one of the youth leaders that made the declaration, said the decision of South-East leaders to condemn the agitation for a separate Biafra country informed their change of mind.

“We are happy that the Igbo leaders have taken a step to curtail some people who have been trying to hold the country down through their actions.

Yerima explained that the ultimatum was given because the leaders did nothing to caution the agitators, who were hell bent in causing chaos in the country “Now that they have said they remain committed to indivisible Nigeria, we will reconsider our position on the matter.”

“We will have to discuss with the stakeholders across the North, what the Igbo leaders did is a welcome development. If they had done this the past, we would not have reasons to take the step we took,” he said.

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“It is unfortunate that they allowed their position and leadership to be undermined by one fraudster, toying with the destiny of over 40 million people, which is not right.

“We are also saying people should not just fold their hands and allow some people who are desperate for relevance to toy with their collective destiny. We will meet and discuss the matter because we are truly proud of Nigeria.

“Now that they have done what we expect of them, we would have to reconsider our position. We will meet and make our position known to the world.” he said.

Recall that in June, Coalition of Northern Youths had given three months quit notice to all Igbos residing in the North to leave the region.

Signatories to the declaration were Arewa Citizens Action for Change, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Arewa Youth Development Foundation, and Arewa Students Forum. Others were Northern Emancipation Network, Northern Youth Vanguard, Northern Youths Stakeholders Forum and North-east Assembly.