The Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, and resident leaders of Igbo community of northern on Saturday, reiterated determination to forge cooperation towards the unity of the nation.
The Coalition also condemned the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu over his activities aimed at dividing the country.
This is contained in a communiqué read by CNG’s Spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman after the meeting held on Saturday in Abuja, a copy of which was made available to AsheNews.
Part of the communique condemned all manifestations of insecurity anywhere in Nigeria and urged the government to live up to its responsibility of securing the lives and properties of all citizens.
“They need to work to build a nation where every Nigerian is safe and secure wherever he chooses to live and work in Nigeria and support other Nigerians to benefit from mutual tolerance and accommodation if they show appropriate respect for the context of their livelihoods.
“That threats and conflicts have very little utility value; we must therefore work to replace vested interests that think power is an end in itself; and sowing seeds of division and leaving everyone more insecure than they were.
“In the light of the above observations, the meeting unanimously: Condemned in totality, the undue advantage taken by miscreants to turn the otherwise legitimate protests against SARS into mayhem in some parts of the country.
“Specifically disagreed with the role played by Nnamdi Kanu during the #EndSARS protests.
“To speak up for the rights of all Nigerians to be protected from illegal harassment where they earn their living; their rights to places of worship consistent with their means and the elements of justice; and their rights to full protection when they live as minorities among other communities.
“That no one wins a religious or ethnic war; no ethnic group can dominate another forever; and no benefit comes from fights and conflicts,” the communique reads in part.
Abdulazeez further urged Nigerians to: “remain vigilant over the direction and fate of our nation, Nigeria, as major stakeholders in whatever happens in and to Nigeria, but our position on how the nation operates must be informed by enhanced national unity and greater inter-regional cooperation.
“To set up a consolidation committee to design a framework for the sustenance of this initiative and foster understanding for the political and economic future of the nation.”