Kaduna government orders arrest of Arewa youths

The Kaduna state government has ordered the arrest of the coalition of northern youths that issued a threatening quit notice warning Igbos living in the northern region of the country to leave before October 1.

The coalition of 16 different groups had, on June 6, issued a declaration order threatening Igbo residents in the north to vacate the region before October 1, or risk consequences.

The coalition, which includes Arewa Citizens Action for Change, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Arewa Youth Development Foundation, Arewa Students Forum and Northern Emancipation Network, promised to execute certain measures to carry out its directive.

In a statement signed by spokesperson of Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Samuel Aruwan, the coalition violated the state's updated penal code law.

After widespread criticism and months of intervention meetings both by the Federal Government and the governors of the country's 19 northern states, the coalition withdrew the quit notice on Thursday, August 24, at a press briefing at the Transcorp Hotel in Abuja.

Despite the group's withdrawal of the threat, the Kaduna state government has asked members of the public to assist in bringing them to justice.

The statement read, "When some elements barged into our state capital to deliver an illegal ultimatum to a section of our community, the government condemned it and ordered the arrest of those concerned.

"Therefore, anybody that sights them or is aware of their location should proudly discharge the civic duty of informing the police. The criminal complaint specifies the sections of the recently updated Penal Code Law of Kaduna State, 2017 that were violated by those that issued the illegal ultimatum.

"These include; inciting disturbance: section 78, disturbing public peace: section 77; injurious falsehood: section 373; unlawful assembly: Section 66; and Criminal Conspiracy, Section 59

"The formal criminal complaint and the bench warrant secured on 8th August 2017 provide a basis to investigate, apprehend and ultimately prosecute the suspects.

"Accordingly, a competent court has directed the commissioner of police of Kaduna state to act on the criminal complaint. The Kaduna state government considers this a most important matter of law enforcement, and will not relent on the matter.

"Anybody contemplating unlawful action should know that such will invite a vigorous law-enforcement response. The Kaduna state government is persuaded that a law-governed society should always signal that sanctions will follow illegal behaviour.

"This is in the interest of justice, peace and harmony. Nobody has the power to evict another citizen or to tell them where they can or cannot live."

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The government assured residents of the state that it will not relent in securing peace and harmony.