Police yet to arrest Arewa youth leaders over quit threat

Group urges FG to apprehend Arewa youth leaders, sponsors
Nearly one week after the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, called on the Nigeria Police to arrest the leaders of the Arewa youth groups, no arrest has been made.

El-Rufai had ordered the immediate arrest and prosecution of the leaders, saying the call by the groups could destabilise the country.

However, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, at the Force Headquarters last Thursday, said the police had yet to arrest the northern youth leaders.

Idris said: “We have no arrest yet. As Commissioners of Police and Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, we have the responsibility to stop this group of persons from carrying out their threats.”

When The Guardian contacted the Force Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Jimoh Moshood yesterday via his mobile phone to enquire if the police have made any arrest, he was said to be in Lagos for a programme and that I should call him back.

The Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Adeniran Aremu, when contacted, also said: “I can’t say because we have not find out on that. So, if anyone will speak, he (Jimoh Moshood) is the one that will speak; I can’t speak for now. Try to get in touch with him later in the day.”

But in a text message sent to Moshood’s mobile phone to ask whether the police have arrested any of the Arewa youth leaders, he was yet to reply as at the time of filling in this report.

Meanwhile, Regional Co-ordinator of the West Africa Youth Conference, Uyero Erarawewho, has called for the arrest of the coalition of northern youth leaders over the notice to the Igbo to leave the North.

In a statement from Burkina Faso on his official visit to the Republic for the setting up of the West Africa Youth Institute of Leadership and Conflict Management, Erarawewho requested the State Security Service (SSS) and the police to arrest the group leaders and sponsors who signed the declaration in Kaduna as the statement is a call for war.

According to him, it is very unfortunate that respected leaders of youths congregated and issued such a statement not minding the consequences and its outcome.

He said that the Federal Government should not keep a close eye on the statement, as there have been killing of the Igbo in the North.