Northern Coalition’s RUGA threat: Be ready to defend yourself, Ohaneze tells Igbos

‘The nepotism exhibited by this Federal Government, her duplicity of standards in law enforcement, her undisguised Fulanisation policy is repugnant to rule of law and good governance. We will no longer tolerate any further threats from these Northern war mongers’

The influential Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo, on Thursday, told Igbos to be ready to defend themselves in response to the 30-day ultimatum the coalition of northern groups gave to governors opposed to the aborted RUGA settlement programme of the federal government to rescind their decision, failing which southerners in the north should leave the region.

The Federal Government had, on Wednesday, suspended its planed RUGA settlement programme following public outcry that the programme was a ploy to use state resources to empower Fulani cattle herders.

Announcing President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to put the programme on hold, the National Executive Committee, NEC, on the farmers-herders crisis, said the suspension was sequel to lack of consistency with the NEC and FG approved national livestock transformation plan, which aims at rehabilitating internally displaced persons, IDPs, resulting from the crisis, and developing ranching in any willing state.

The NEC said that the RUGA programme was not compulsory and interested states were required to draw up a development plan towards the implementation in line with the NEC programme based on the challenges inherent in it.

Those at the NEC meeting, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, were governors of Ebonyi,-Dave Umahi, Plateau-Simon Lalong and Kebbi-Atiku Bagudu.

But the coalition of northern groups threw down the gauntlet, the same Wednesday, giving the governors who resisted RUGA in their jurisdictions to reconsider their decision or southerners should be ready to leave the north.

While addressing the media, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, the coalition’s spokesman, said that the roiling debate over the RUGA programme had provoked disaffection against herders of Fulani extraction, and declared:

“While we warn all state governments that stand against the implementation of the Ruga Initiative to desist and give peace a chance, we place President Buhari and the Federal Government on notice that they must completely stop this raging madness within 30-days beginning from today, Wednesday.”

Infuriated by what it called the coalition’s “irresponsible, unlawful and provocative outburst,” the Ohaneze Ndigbo, through its President General, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, also a former Minister of Information, insisted that “the RUGA policy is an Islamization and a Fulanisation policy.

“It is a violation of our constitution and Supreme Court decisions on the Land Use Act. It’s suspension without cancellation leaves the Federal Government still in violation of our laws.”

On the threat by the northern groups coalition, Nwodo said: “The threat to evict law abiding Nigerians from their places of abode in Northern Nigeria is treasonable and obviously like the gun trotting herdsmen will go unnoticed by our Federally controlled law enforcement agencies. Let Abdul, the Federal Government and others like them take notice that Ohanaeze has no objections to all Igbos in the North returning home so long as all Northerners in the East leave the East and we dismantle the Federal structure imposed on us by the military and return to Autonomous Federating Units.”

There is more. Below is the full text of the press statement issued by Chief John Nnia Nwodo, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide:

“My attention has been drawn to a broadcast by Abdul Azeez Suleman, speaking for a coalition of Northern Groups in which he had the audacity to give the Federal Government an ultimatum of 30 days to rescind its decision on the suspension of its RUGA settlements policy. Abdul went further to threaten the expulsion of Southerners resident in the North at the expiration of his dateline if the Federal Government does not rescind its suspension decision.

“This irresponsible, unlawful and provocative outburst reminds me of the quit notice from Northern Youths two years ago.

“Ohanaeze insists that the RUGA policy is an Islamization and a Fulanisation policy. It is a violation of our constitution and Supreme Court decisions on the Land Use Act. It’s suspension without cancelation leaves the Federal Government still in violation of our laws.

“The threat to evict law abiding Nigerians from their places of abode in Northern Nigeria is treasonable and obviously like the gun trotting herdsmen will go unnoticed by our Federally controlled law enforcement agencies. Let Abdul, the Federal Government and others like them take notice that Ohanaeze has no objections to all Igbos in the North returning home so long as all Northerners in the East leave the East and we dismantle the Federal structure imposed on us by the military and return to Autonomous Federating Units.

“The nepotism exhibited by this Federal Government, her duplicity of standards in law enforcement, her undisguised Fulanisation policy is repugnant to rule of law and good governance. We will no longer tolerate any further threats from these Northern war mongers.

“After all, who should be the aggrieved under the circumstance?  The millipede that has been marched is whimpering, but the person that marched it is complaining that his foot has been soiled. The South that is bearing the yoke of oppression from cattle herders are trying their best to coexist with their aggressors, yet it is the aggressors that are threatening further mayhem. This cannot be.

“I call on all Igbos to be ready to defend themselves. Enough of these threats!”