Sultan to Arewa youths: Attack me first before Igbos

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has warned Arewa youths against attacking Igbos resident in the North.
Abubakar said if there was any plan to attack the Igbo, who are resident in the North, such should be directed at him first.
“If anybody or group of persons plans negative attack on Igbo, he or they should attack me first because I am against the so-called ultimatum issued by the Arewa youths that Igbo should leave the north,” he said.
The Sultan said this when the leader of the World Igbo Union, Dr. Mishack Nnanta, accompanied by Igbo chiefs resident in the North, paid sallah homage to him in his palace.
Abubakar said “restructuring” to his understanding does not mean galvanizing or dividing Nigeria, but making “adjustments here and there for equal accommodation of all and sundry in Nigeria for equity and fair play religiously, socially and economically”.
He further observed that the agitation by some people for disintegration “cannot solve any of the problems facing the country” and that “dividing it into many parts is not the solution for the married of problems bedevilling the nation because this will lead to towns and villages clamouring to become independent”.
Abubakar suggested that the way forward was a roundtable dialogue and not carrying arms, which would never lead to peace.
Agreeing that there were genuine complaints that border on marginalisation, the Sultan however said the way out was peaceful resolution.
He blamed the nation’s politicians for most of the problems faced by Nigerians, saying: “They come to you during campaigns, promise you heaven in your house, air conditions on all roads and milk entering your mouth hourly without any effort from you.
“As soon as they win and go to Abuja, they start planning comfort for themselves, while those from the rural areas move to state capitals, abandoning those who voted them.”
‎Nnanta had earlier said that Igbo were peace-loving Nigerians whose stock-in-trade was engaging in ‎their businesses.
He said: “Igbo cannot live peacefully in isolation from Nigeria.
“They should work towards ensuring proper integration, reconstruction as promised by General Yakubu Gowon.
“They may agitate for creation of more states in the South East to meet up with other geopolitical zones of the country.”