Lagos State Govt, Afenifere Condemn ‘Igbo Must Go’ Tag, Call for  Arrest of Proponents

*Stop profiling Igbos, South-east lawmakers warn

Adedayo Akinwale, Sunday Aborisade in Abuja and Sunday Ehigiator in Lagos

The Lagos State Government and the Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, have denounced a recent social media post calling for the forced departure of Igbo people from Lagos and the South-west region of Nigeria.
In the same vein, yesterday, federal lawmakers from the Eastern part of the country in both chambers of the National Assembly warned that there could be a repeat of civil war in the country if nothing was done to stop profiling their race in the ongoing protests against bad governance.

The threat, which appeared on the X handle LagosPedia, had threatened a massive protest from August 20th to 30th, 2024, under the hashtag #IgboMustGo.
However, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, has distanced himself and the Lagos State Government from the “reckless, divisive, and dangerous rhetoric,” emphasising that Lagos remains a home to all Nigerian citizens regardless of their ethnic nationality.

According to him, “The attention of Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been drawn to a post by LagosPedia, a social media handle on X (formerly Twitter) that calls on the Igbo to vacate Lagos and South-west of Nigeria and brace up for a massive hashtag #IgboMustGo protest from 20th to 30th August 2024.

“The Governor of Lagos State and indeed, Lagos State Government wish to distance themselves from the reckless, divisive and dangerous rhetoric, saying Lagos remains home to every Nigerian citizen regardless of their ethnic nationality.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu views the post as not only reckless and divisive but an attempt to sow a seed of discord between the Yoruba in the South-west and other tribes, especially those who have made Lagos their permanent place of abode.

“The governor appeals to Lagosians not to allow any person or group of individuals to create tensions in the state, calling on the security agencies to promptly investigate those behind the handle and bring them to justice.
“Mr. Governor enjoins Lagosians to ignore the post and any post of that nature, promising to double his efforts towards ensuring lasting peace in the State.”
Similarly, Afenifere, has called on all Nigerians living legitimately in any part of Yorubaland to entertain no fear about their safety or be afraid of being forced out of the area.

Its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, gave the assurance in a statement issued yesterday while reacting to a post by a non-descript social handle tagged ‘LagosPedia’ which warned Igbos living in Lagos and South-west Nigeria to leave the area within one month.
The post specifically reads: “Lagosians and every South-west stakeholders should prepare for the massive protest of #IgboMustGo on the 20th – 30th of August. “They have 1 month from now to leave and relocate their business from all South-West states. We urge all Yorubas living in the South-East to return home.”
However, Afenifere dismissed such a threat, saying those behind the unwarranted, provocative and divisive campaign were out to cause disaffection between Ndigbo and Yorubas.

It said: “In view of the serious danger such a call for expulsion poses to peaceful co-existence, Afenifere is hereby calling on the security agencies, police especially, to round up those behind this unpatriotic move as contained in the quoted LagosPedia post.”

The group noted  that there was no plan anywhere to expel any group of people who are peacefully doing their businesses from any part of the southwest.

It added: “Those who are being called to be ousted from the Southwest are the unscrupulous herders who are making life difficult for our farmers and rural women. In this wise, our Igbo brothers and sisters living in Lagos and the South-west should not entertain any fear of expulsion. We are all Nigerians.

“None of them is singled out for harassment. Only people who are criminally minded have reasons to be afraid. And this is not restricted to non-Yoruba people.

“Whether you are Yoruba or non-Yoruba, if you contravene the laws of the land, you would be appropriately dealt with in accordance with the rule of law. Otherwise, you have no reason to fear at all, whether you are an indigene or non-indigene.”

Meanwhile, federal lawmakers from the Eastern part of Nigeria warned that there could be a repeat of civil war in the country if nothing was done to stop profiling their race in the ongoing protests against bad governance.

The Igbo senators and House of Representatives members gave the warning in a statement by their leaders, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and Hon. Igariwey Iduma Enwo, in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja yesterday.
The lawmakers wondered why their people should be drawn to the #Endbadgovernance protests when their leaders had made it clear that the Igbo would not be part of it.
They, therefore asked the security agencies in the country to arrest the situation to avoid another genocide in the country.

Part of their statement reads: “The attention of the South East Caucus of the National Assembly has been drawn to the unfortunate and dangerous ethnic profiling of Igbos in the ongoing mass protests across the country.
“For the record, the Igbo nation, in obedience to the advice of their leaders- Governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, parliamentarians and others in the private sector- had taken a reasoned and strategic decision not to participate in the on-going nationwide protests.
“This is evident in the relative calm experienced in the five South Eastern states.

“We are, therefore, surprised and disappointed, that Igbos are still made scapegoats,  and targeted as instigators of protests, as shown in several statements (such as the Igbo Must Go hashtag and call by a certain ‘Lagospedia’ X (Twitter) handle) and videos seen online.

“This dangerous ethnic profiling is unwarranted, and must stop.

“It was such profiling that led to the millions of deaths in Nigeria from the 1950’s to the unfortunate civil war in 1967 to 1970.

“Elsewhere in Africa it led to the genocide in Rwanda and the xenophobia in South Africa. Such should not be our fate again in Nigeria.

“We demand therefore that the  security agencies bring to book the purveyors of these hate speeches in line with the cybercrimes act and criminal laws of the country.

“We continue to appeal to Igbos across the country to stay away from the protests, and remain law abiding.”