N/Delta agitators urge security agencies to arrest Arewa youths on RUGA threat

(Nigeria)  A coalition of Niger Delta agitators, has called on security agencies to arrest Arewa youths who threatened President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government to implement the RUGA settlement for Fulani herdsmen across the country or they will resort to self help and destruction of lives and properties of Southerners resident in the North.

The coalition threatened to retaliate, saying that Northerners resident in the Niger Delta should also leave within the next 30 days.

The coalition led by Gen. John Dukku said,  "The attention of the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators has been drawn to the recent second round of 30 days ultimatum issued by the Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, to the Federal Government to forcefully implement the suspended RUGA settlement for Fulani herdsmen across the country or they will resort to self help and destruction of lives and properties of Southerners resident in the North.

"The Coalition of Northern Groups further issued an ultimatum to Southerners living in the North to vacate if their various state governments refused to donate lands to federal government for the implementation of its suspended Ruga settlement within the said 30 days.

"We are surprised that in a time like this when killings of innocent citizens is the order of the day by CNG brothers, we thought CNG and Arewa youths would have risen above ethnic sentiments to condemn the unprovoked killings and the high rate of poverty in the land, rather they are bent on worsening the already tensed situation by issuing unwarranted threat.

"While we see the recent RUGA settlement plan by the Federal Government as its plot to Fulanize and Islamize the entire country by proxy, we also want the CNG to note that there is no settlement in the entire Northern part of Nigeria allocated to any tribe or ethnic group of Southern origin by the federal government under any name or guise. Therefore the recent threat by CNG is ill-conceived and foolishly advised by their sponsors/war mongers who feel they are super humans.

"We therefore also want to re-echo that the entire South-South and Niger Delta would never part any of its land to Fulani terrorists no matter the amount of threat as we are ready for your threats.

"We advise the Northern youths and the Presidency to build their planned Fulani settlements in Sambisa forest and stop chasing shadows as forceful implementation of such ethnic plan would only spell doom for the country.

"The Coalition of Northern Groups, Arewa Youths, MACBAN, Northern Elders, the Security Agencies and the Presidency should note that any Niger Deltan or Southerner killed by Northern youths as a result of this threat shall receive severe and adequate response from us.

"At this juncture, we call on the Department of State Services and the Nigerian Police to immediately arrest and prosecute these promoters of hate speech otherwise they should be ready for nationwide violence as soon as the 30 days ultimatum is over.

"In like manner, all the Northerners resident in the Niger Delta should leave within the next 30 days. We are ready for Northern youths and we shall kill 10 Northerners in response to any single Southerner killed in the North.

The agitators vowed to resist any invasion of their land in the guise of Ruga settlement.

"We recall in 2017 when this same idiotic representatives of Fulani terrorists issued the same ultimatum and was condemned by all patriotic Nigerians, and at that time President Buhari was not in the country. On his arrival, instead of ordering for the arrest and prosecution of these promoters of hate speeches, Mr. President rather ordered the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu and subsequently organized and mobilized army under Operation Python Dance to the South East to kill and maim innocent people including children and women.

"At this point we believe there is a grand conspiracy against the South and we would not allow your evil plots to materialise rather we will take the battle to your doorsteps. We note that this is the second time the Northern youths is threatening the unity of this country in connivance with top government officials and security agents, but we want to warn that this time it would not be business as usual again. The Northerners are the ones controlling our natural resources and oil blocs in our backyards yet we tolerated them in the name of one Nigeria.

"We are earnestly waiting for the Northern youths to start the fight and see what would happen. Any killing would be responded to in ten fold. We are not afraid of your threat; our land is not for Fulani terrorists and their likes. We therefore advise all the Southerners in the North to return home or be ready to defend themselves; we also advise all Northerners in the South to either leave or be ready for any eventuality," he added.