Posted By: Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

The 10-man Committee of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) and Igbo Leaders in the North set up to find lasting solution to the quit notice issued to Igbos in the North by Arewa Youths appeared to have more responsibilities than envisaged as it has extended its sitting to the next 10-days.

However, beyond expectations that the Committee would have come up with a stand to call off the quit notice order
Monday, The Nation gathered from impeccable sources within the Committee that there are more that meets the eye.

According to a source, “we sat for more than three times and we find out that there are more issues on ground that should be extensively deliberated upon if we really want to find a lasting solution that will settle the dust already raised.”

The Nation recalled that after a crucial peace-parley of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) and Igbo leaders in the North last week, a 10-man Committee was set up to further find better ways of resolving the contentious issue.

However, after three days of brainstorming, the joint committee with five representatives from each side adjourned sitting to the next 10 days to make way for wider consultations.

According to a Press Statement issued by the 10-man Committee and made available to The Nation in Kano Monday, there was need for more time so as to enable the committee do a thorough job.

The statement was signed by Chief Chi Nwogu (representative of Igbo leaders), Alhaji Dauda S. Shamakiri (representative of the Coalition of Northern Groups) and Comrade Isa Tijani (convener of the peace parley).

It reads: “Reference to the peace meeting held on the 4th August, 2017 by leaders of the Coalition of Northern Groups and Igbo Leaders in the 19 northern states and the FCT which resulted in the formation of a 10-man committee to find a solution to the quit notice issued.

“The Committee sat and deliberated extensively and agreed that there is need for further consultations from both sides.
“Accordingly, the meeting adjourned to reconvene in the next ten days where a final resolution on issues will be achieved.”

Meanwhile, the Coalition of Northern Groups in a Press Statement issued after their Town Hall meeting in Kano, accused the leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu of sowing the seed of discord in the corporate existence of Nigeria as a country.

According to the statement, “his (Nnamdi Kanu) recent action of forcefully grounding movement of people including those from other regions by shutting down most South-East cities notwithstanding the mild and ineffective condemnation by some Igbo political, cultural and religious leaders has foreclosed the avenues for an expected early peaceful resolution.

“It is further justification of our concern expressed in the Kaduna Declaration and subsequent correspondences with the Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the International Community.

“These renewed threats contained in Kanu’s unwarranted utterances and actions compel us to push further for definite national and international action that would decide the Biafran matter to conclusion once and for all.

“In our usual truly patriotic aim to forestall the drift toward anarchy in Nigeria, and also to alert the international community as to where responsibility would ultimately lie if such momentous events ever came to pass, we have followed up our earlier effort by another round of initiatives of extending similar communications to relevant authorities.”

They added that, “accordingly, we have met with many leaders and groups with positive developments while our doors remain open for discussions with more groups, leaders and agencies genuinely interested in addressing the separatist issues with a view to finally achieving a peaceful and stable Nigeria.”

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