‘The law will catch up with you’, Tinubu warns those promoting ethnic agenda against Igbos
President Bola Tinubu has warned individuals propagating ethnic and tribal hate against the Igbos, stressing that the law will catch up with them.
The president spoke in an address to the nation on Sunday.
There has been protests across the country against economic hardship under the #EndBadGovernance banner.
The protests were hijacked in parts of the north, where violence and deaths were recorded. Private and public places were looted and set on fire.
In the south, the protest has been largely peaceful.
However, in certain sections of social media, there were calls for the forced relocation of Igbos from Lagos and other south-west states. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, described some of the posts as “reckless and divisive” and asked security agencies to go after those behind the page.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar reacted to the development and demanded the federal government “investigate, arrest, and prosecute individuals promoting ethnic discrimination and violence” in the country.
But while addressing the nation, Tinubu asked the protesters to embrace dialogue.
“I am especially pained by the loss of lives in Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and other states, the destruction of public facilities in some states, and the wanton looting of supermarkets and shops, contrary to the promise of protest organisers that the protest would be peaceful across the country. The destruction of properties sets us back as a nation, as scarce resources will be again used to restore them,” he said.
“I commiserate with the families and relations of those who have died in the protests. We must stop further bloodshed, violence and destruction.
“As President of this country, I must ensure public order. In line with my constitutional oath to protect the lives and property of every citizen, our government will not stand idly by and allow a few with a clear political agenda to tear this nation apart.
“Under the circumstances, I hereby enjoin protesters and the organisers to suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue, which I have always acceded to at the slightest opportunity. Nigeria requires all hands on deck and needs us all – regardless of age, party, tribe, religion or other divides, to work together in reshaping our destiny as a nation. To those who have taken undue advantage of this situation to threaten any section of this country, be warned: The law will catch up with you. There is no place for ethnic bigotry or such threats in the Nigeria we seek to build.”
