An Igbo group, Coalition of Igbo Unions of Nigeria (CIUN), has urged the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, to review his position on relocating the Abia Cattle Market located in Umunneochi LGA of Abia State.
The leadership of the Forum appealed in a statement on Friday.
Mr. Obinna John Okoroafor and Udoka Onwuka, Chairman and Secretary of the group, said that the demolition of the market “will have a negative boomerang effect on Igbo traders in the North and across Nigeria.”
While they acknowledged the incidents of criminality in the area, they cautioned against ethnic profiling as they insisted that maltreating of the traders from the North could set a dangerous precedent which could ignite violence and clashes in various parts of Nigeria against Igbos.
The statement reads in part: “Our attention has been drawn to the ongoing crisis at the Abia Cattle Market situated in Umunneochi LGA of Abia State.
“While we acknowledge the importance of the Security of lives and property of all Nigerians living in every part of the Country, we strongly condemn and dissociate ourselves from ethnic profiling being perpetrated by Mr Alex Otti against our brothers from Northern Nigeria doing business at the Umunneochi Cattle Market.
“This is because the thoughtless move by Alex Otti to eject the Northern businesses at the Cattle market forcefully will have a negative boomerang effect on Igbo traders in the North and across Nigeria.
“We have observed with grave displeasure that Mr Alex Otti is selectively persecuting Northerners in the Market instead of taking a holistic approach that confronts the criminality going on in the Area.
“We have carefully observed that the ‘vacate the Cattle Market ‘ ultimatum issued by Governor Alex Otti has greatly increased the already tense socio-political atmosphere in the Country.
“The plight of Northern Traders in the Cattle market, if not handled satisfactorily, will set a dangerous precedent which will ignite violence and clashes in various parts of Nigeria against Igbos.
“We, therefore, wish to distance ourselves from the reckless utterances and thoughtless actions of Mr Alex Otti whom we believe is playing to the gallery for political gains.”
While urging the security agencies to redouble their efforts in curbing the menace of kidnapping and criminality in Umunneochi, Abia State and Nigeria in general, the statement added: “We remain Nigerians and are committed to the actualization of a peaceful and just environment for all Nigerians irrespective of ethnicity, religion or tribe.
“To ensure stability and peace, we are giving Mr Alex Otti, 48 hours to immediately rescind his ethnically motivated outbursts and apologize to the Northern Traders who have cohabitated peacefully with their host communities hitherto.”
. TheWitness
