Nzuko Umunna Collects Signatures in Petition against Quit Notice to Igbo
In an attempt to get the federal government, United Nations and other world leaders act against the quit notice issued the Igbo by a coalition of Arewa Youths, asking them to vacate the northern part of the country by October 1, 2017, a leading Igbo socio-cultural association, Nzuko Umunna, has started gathering signatures in a petition it has written to President Muhammadu Buhari, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, the UN and its Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, the AU, ECOWAS, EU and Amnesty International.
In a preamble to the petition, Nzuko Umunna said ‘The Kaduna Declaration’ asking fellow citizens of the Igbo stock from southeast Nigeria, to quit the north of Nigeria before October 1, 2017, as they (northern Nigerian youths) would commence ‘visible actions’ which include to "reclaim, assume and assert sole ownership and control of ... landed resources currently owned, rented or in any way enjoyed by the ... Igbo in any part of Northern Nigeria”, is a call for genocide against the Igbo especially as mandates have been given “to commence immediate inventory of all properties, spaces or activity in the north currently occupied by the Igbo for forfeiture at the expiration of the ultimatum contained in this declaration"
The group further condemned the “hate song composed in Hausa language encouraging the massacre of the Igbo anywhere they are found in the north of Nigeria…” stating that “the quit notice and declaration to forcefully eject and take over properties belonging to the Igbo in northern Nigeria violate all known statutes of the United Nations guaranteeing the legal ownership of property and enjoyment of same by the owners anywhere in the world”.
The petition proper reads thus:
“Following the unlawful and ill-advised notice issued by Arewa youths of northern Nigeria to the Igbo people residing in that part of the country to quit on or before October 1, 2017, a hate song that has gone viral composed in Hausa language by a Hausa/Fulani singer encouraging the massacre of Igbos anywhere they are found in Nigeria, and the grave danger such notice and song portend to not only the Igbo people but also Nigerians in general, we seek, by this petition, the urgent actions of Nigerian authorities, the United Nations and the international community to immediately bring the authors of the hate speech and genocidal song to justice.
We call on the Nigerian authorities in particular to immediately embark on a global campaign particularly in northern Nigeria to ensure that these murderous plots against the Igbo race in Nigeria do not become manifest.
We by this petition also put world leaders particularly those of the United States, Germany, Britain, France and Israel among others on notice relating to these infractions”.
Coordinator of Nzuko Umunna, Ngozi Odumuko, said the petition has become necessary as no concrete steps seem to have been taken so far by concerned authorities to tame the growing socio-political conflagration which is capable of consuming everybody irrespective of ethnic background or political affiliation. He also called on leaders of the national assembly to take concrete actions that would compel the presidency and the security agencies to take action that would prevent the looming chaos.
Below is link to the petition:
https://www.gopetition.com/petitions/nigeria-quit-notice-to-igbo-people-stop-another-looming-genocide-now.html