A group of women under the aegis of the Amalgamation of Northern Women Associations, on Saturday, demanded a referendum to allow Biafran agitators to chose whether or not to remain in Nigeria.
This is just as Yoruba nation activists have begun to arrive at the popular Fajuyi Park in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, for a rally organised by socio-political group, Ilana Omo Oodua.
Coordinator of the group, Hadiza Adamu, said during a protest in Abuja on Saturday that “Nigerian History has shown that women carry the heavy burden of war and acts of insurrections and terrorism. We have gone through it from 1967 to 1971, our men died and left us with the children to cater for out of nothing, other men that survived simply moved on but we never moved on.
“The aftermath of the war and the sufferings left lifetime scars in our hearts and on our bodies. It is for this reason that we (have) come together today and say we don’t want another war, another insurrection.
“We, therefore, unanimously call on President Muhammadu Buhari as the leader and father of the country; and the leadership of the National Assembly, President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawal; and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; to immediately call for a referendum in the country.
“Let people choose to live in peace in Nigeria or leave, any other group or nationality that wants to secede to exercise their rights of self-determination like the South-East has been agitated for decades to be allowed to leave Nigeria peacefully, without resorting to a second civil war.
“Today the Igbo nation has turned the entire South-East to almost a war zone, northerners irrespective of their tribes are no longer safe, states’ infrastructures are no longer safe, service personnel from police to army are not safe, INEC offices and other symbols of democracy in the country are being destroyed on daily basis, our husbands that go to do business in South-East no longer return home safe, our political leaders who travel to the South-East on national assignments are assassinated in broad daylight.”
Meanwhile, there is a heavy deployment of security operatives at the popular Fajuyi Park in Ado Ekiti. Those deployed include the Police, Department of State Services and Amotekun Corps at the venue.
A security operative, who preferred anonymity, said they are at the venue “to prevent the breakdown of law and order and ensure miscreants do not hijack the rally”.
The agitators also expressed their readiness for Yoruba nation out of Nigeria.
One of the agitators and member of Oodua Action Movement, Olusola Oyemakinde, said, “We are here in support of our agitation for Oodua nation. Every one of us can see the state of Nigeria whereby there is no justice, there is lopsidedness and insecurity are the order of the day.
“The government of Nigeria has failed in its responsibility of securing lives. We cannot continue this way. Yoruba nation is the answer for us.”