Igbo Quit Notice: Why Arewa Youths have not been arrested — FG

The Federal Government has explained why it hasn't arrested  a coalition of northern groups which issued a ‘quit notice’ to Igbos resident in the region.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday,  Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau said the coalition has already stated that they were misquoted by the media. He said

 “The group that called themselves coalition of Arewa Associations that held a press conference in Kaduna where they gave October 1 ultimatum to the Igbos to quit the north as a response to what they termed as issue of separatist agenda of the IPOB and claim that there were  cases of incitement from the Igbos against the northerners to which the Kaduna State governor responded that they should be arrested for what they reported.

“Of course they later claimed that the media quoted them out of context. I am very much aware that the DSS invited all of them, held a meeting with them to which they made a statement to the effect that what was reported in the media was not what they said. “
They further wrote to the acting President indicating that they did not make inciting statement as to the issue of violence or forceful ejection of the Igbos in the north. However, it was on the basis of that, the northern elders called them to also reaffirm from them that what was reported was not exactly what they meant.

“Secondly, it is on this basis that I am answering the question, but it is something that the Kaduna State government is handling since that is where it happened. I want to think that it was on that basis that the arrest was not made. “Again, there have been several efforts to dialogue between the northern youths and the Igbo youths.

Several of such meetings have been held including the reported one that (ended in a) stalemate about one week ago but my understanding is that these various groups are sitting down among themselves to reach an understanding. “More importantly, government gave assurance when the Acting President met with leadership from various parts of the country that nothing is going to happen to any person. Government has assured that everybody should stay and continue with their normal businesses”.