A northern coalition known as the Northern Consensus Movement of Nigeria has threatened to blockade the transportation of food from the north to southern Nigeria.
The provocative threat comes in response to a recent ultimatum by Yoruba activist Sunday Igboho calling for Fulanis to vacate southwestern Nigeria. Igboho issued the contentious demand after being released from prison last week.
In a press conference on Thursday, the northern group’s president, Awwal Aliyu, condemned Igboho’s stance and vowed to stop any attempts to expel Fulanis from the southwest. He further warned that northerners would force Yorubas to evacuate the north if Igboho’s ultimatum persisted.
Aliyu claimed blocking food supplies from the agriculturally rich north would be an act of retaliation. The group is also demanding compensation for victims of recent ethnoreligious clashes and EndSARS violence targeting northerners.
The combative threats risk inflaming already high tensions between northern and southern interests. However, the northern group argues that previous pleas addressing their grievances have been ignored by leaders nationwide.
Citing unmet demands after a four-week ultimatum, the coalition says they are prepared to commence nationwide protests and halt northern food exports bound for southern ports.
The harsh rhetoric from both sides’ underscores Nigeria’s complex regional and ethnic fault lines that continue to foster divisions.
“On the issue of compensation to our victims of the ENDSARS killing, SASA-Akinyele market killings and IPOB and ESN killings, we have been pursuing it for several years now. Since previous administrations, a lot of promises have been made but the Federal government has refused to fulfil them.
“So, we are requesting President Bola Tinubu to do something about it, as we are giving a four-week ultimatum. If nothing is done, we are going on peaceful protest, after which we will shut down the country on all food supplies moving from the North to all Southern parts of the country.
“This thing we have sent to the President even before he was elected, we have also forwarded this demand and request. All heads of security agencies are aware of it. all governors of the 19 northern states, all former leaders, and former presidents of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, most especially those from the North are aware of it.
“The Northern traditional councils are aware of it, the 19 Northern state assemblies are also aware of it.”
The group has urged the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, to intervene and counsel Sunday Igboho.
Recall that In October, Igboho gave a seven-day notice to Fulani herdsmen in the South-West, instructing them to leave the region due to concerns about the killing of farmers in Oyo and Ogun states. Igboho stated that the warning was issued to prevent potential vigilantism and the taking of matters into their own hands.
