Afenifere, NEF differ on northerners’ protection in South

THE Northern Elders Forum on Tuesday raised the alarm over what it described as a deliberate targeting of northerners in southern part of Nigeria .

The forum said there had been “ reported killings , destruction and stealing of property belonging to northerners and other assaults , which had been going on for days ” .

The organisation , therefore , called on northerners in the South to “ compile a verifiable inventory of lives and property lost, and approach relevant authorities for appropriate restitution . ”

But the pan - Yoruba socio - cultural organisation , Afenifere warned the northern elders to be careful about statements that could inflame passion .

“ Our friends in NEF should be more careful about statements that can inflame passion . We make this appeal , not out of fear , but a deep sense of responsibility and the understanding of the place of elders .

“ Our utterances should bring calm at this delicate period , ” the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere , Yinka Odumakin said .

Earleir, the NEF Director , Publicity and Advocacy said , Dr Hakeem Baba - Ahmed , in a statement titled , ‘ The need to protect northerners in the South ’ explained that the forum had resisted the pressure to raise the alarm earlier “ on these unacceptable acts of hostility at Nigerians living and earning legitimate livelihood peacefully in many communities in the South, out of concern that doing so would further worsen a major national crisis . ”

The statement further read in part , “ The forum calls for immediate stop of attacks and harassment of northerners in many southern communities . ”