Categories: News

Arewa forum asks northerners to avoid travelling to south-east

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has asked northerners to suspend plans of travelling to the south-east.

In a statement issued on Monday, Audu Ogbe, chairman of the forum, said the travel advisory became necessary following the killing of Ahmed Gulak, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Gulak, who is from the north, was shot dead by gunmen on Sunday while returning to Abuja from Owerri, Imo state capital.

Ogbe said where any travel should be made, it must be “absolutely necessary” otherwise such a trip to the south-east should be suspended.

“Yesterday, Sunday 30th May, 2021, one of leaders in the north was brutally murdered on the streets of Owerri Imo state by gunmen, most likely of IPOB and Eastern Security Network (ESN), who have been waging a public campaign of killings and other forms of brutalities, to realise their dream country of Biafra,” he said.

“The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) hereby issues a very strong advisory to all northerners who may wish to travel to the South East.

“Northerners to weigh the importance and necessity of such travels. Unless such trips are absolutely necessary and of compelling nature, like matters of life & death, they should NOT be made.

“The lives of northerners, and indeed of ALL Nigerians matter, and the ACF cannot keep mute when our people, and indeed all Nigerians, are murdered in cold blood by misguided and atrocious people.

“Unfortunately in the midst of all this serious national crisis it would appear that the entire narrative from the South East has been taken over by IPOB and so-called unknown gunmen to the exclusion of established leaders. This is worrisome.”