The Igbo Ekunie Initiative (IEI), a coalition of professionals in Nigeria and the Diaspora has expressed doubts over what it described as “purported suspension of the infamous, primitive and unconstitutional quit notice issued by the so called Arewa Youths.”

In a statement issued on Sunday by its President, Maazi Tochukwu Ezeoke, and Secretary, Lawrence Nwobu, the coalition said: “We want to put it on record that the quit notice was not withdrawn but was merely suspended. The audios and videos urging the North to attack the Igbos in the North are still in circulation.

Ordinarily, it would not be our desire to join issues with a band of ignorant and hypocritical hoodlums who have ignored the destitution, strife and ongoing civil war/terrorism in the North to concern themselves with IPOB and other nonviolent democratic protests elsewhere.

“However, we note that hate crimes/mass killings/genocide and other expressions of intolerance, hate, and war against other ethnic and religious groups by Hausa-Fulani's started in the North as far back as 1945. The region has since then been a perpetual war/genocide zone where mass killings aided and abetted by all strata of Northern leadership has been actively condoned.

“We note that amongst other murderous hate groups and gangs of which Arewa youths are one, Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen since declared the 1st and 4th deadliest terror groups in the world by the United Nations (UN) and Global Terrorism Index (GTI) are latest expressions of perpetual war/genocide in the North for which there is no plausible end.

“We note that the North having adopted the obnoxious, inhumane and barbaric culture of mass killing has often and routinely deployed the killing of other ethno-religious groups as a political strategy to intimidate and terrorise other Nigerians. In this, we see no end. Having considered all factors and the fact of the Northwest and Northeast being zones of perpetual hate/strife/war/genocide; it’s our intention to declare as follows:

“That the core North (Northeast and Northwest) are perpetual conflict and or mass killing zones for which there is no possible end.

“That notwithstanding the purported suspension of infamous quit notice by Arewa hate mongers/hoodlums; we urge all Southerners and Christians to begin to think of permanently quit the Northwest and Northeast as there is no possible end to the decade's long institutional hate killings.

“That all Southerners and Christians should begin a process of disposing of their investments in the said conflict/genocide zones and correspondingly cease any new investments.

“That though we acknowledge constitutional provisions and the universality of residency rights as provided for by international law and other such instruments, we submit that unique exception must be made in the case of Northern Nigeria is the only place in the world where fellow citizens have faced institutional mass killings/genocide since 1945.

“That this is more so in circumstances where the Northern led Federal Government has refused to uphold the Rule of Law and protect lives and property as demonstrated by unpunished Fulani herdsmen killings across the country and the freeing of the killers of Mrs. Bridget Agbahime by the Kano State government amongst others.

“That since the Northern led Federal Government is unwilling to protect lives and property, the responsibility for such protection, therefore, falls on each and every individual.

“That we herewith discourage any Southerner or Christian living in or investing anywhere in the Northwest or Northeast to put that on hold until further notice.

Taking cognizance of the ever increasing crisis of nationhood, we in closing; urge the federal government to organize a referendum where all component units will choose if they want to remain in Nigeria or not, and where they will collectively decide on how they want to be governed.”

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