Samuel Ugbor, Abakaliki

The apex socio-cultural youth organisation in Igbo land, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, on Wednesday, debunked the allegation by the Arewa Consultative Forum that Northerners were being killed in the Southern part of the country.

The Igbo youth group, stated this in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Nnabuike Okwu, a copy of which was obtained by our Correspondent on Wednesday, saying such claims were unfounded and riddled with falsehood.

The group was reacting to a statement credited to the ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Yawe that over 30 persons had been killed in the Southern part of the country, since the #ENDSARS protests became violent.

The ACF’s scribe, according to reports, also claimed that over 50 trucks and trailers owned by Northerners were destroyed.

But the group described the allegation as a propagandistic move and a ploy to complicate issues and incite violence against Southerners in Northern Nigeria.

According to the statement, “Investigation on the alledged  harrassment and killings of Northerners, has been discovered to be baseless and there is no iota of truth in the claim.

“We urge Northern leaders to cross check their facts on some of these  security issues before going public, no sane Southerner can touch any Northerner, because we are one and have lived peacefully amongst ourselves.

“ONYC categorically denies these allegations by ACF on the killings of Northerners in the South as mere rumours, falsehood and fake news, and we challenge Emmanuel Yawe, to produce evidence of the said killings.

“Northerners are safe and doing their normal businesses without any form of intimidation or harrassment in the South-East or South-South.

“We want to reassure the leadership of Arewa Consultative Youth Forum led by Alhaji Yerima Shettima of the safety of Northerners in the South-East and South-South, and urge them to remain committed to the mutual agreement reached with ONYC on the safety of Ndigbo in the North.”