The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to act swiftly warning that the country is going up in flames.
The spokesman for the group, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, gave the warning against the backdrop of tension in recent weeks owing to farmer-herder conflicts, ethnic clashes, banditry and insurgency.
Baba-Ahmed in a Twitter post on Saturday night said Nigerians living in any part of the country must be protected by the government.
“Attacking innocent southerners living in the north will not be the right response to attacks on northerners in the south. We should demand that Nigerians, wherever they are, must be protected. President and governors: Do something, NOW! They are setting the country on fire under you,” Baba-Ahmed said in the Tweet.
Recall that on Saturday, there was an outbreak of violence in Shasha area of Ibadan, Oyo State capital, which reportedly led to the death of one person. Property of residents and wares of traders were also destroyed.
In response, Governor Seyi Makinde ordered the immediate closure of the market and announced a curfew in the affected communities.
Ekiti Governor, Kayode Fayemi and his Ondo counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu also condemned the violence in Ibadan, warning that the crisis could spread to other parts of the country.
