Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-Rufai has ordered the immediate arrest and prosecution of the masterminds of the northern coalition groups who threatened the safety of citizens of Igbo extraction in the region.

In a statement released by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Governor, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, the Governor ordered the Nigerian Police to immediately fish out all those behind the declaration and immediately prosecute them.

He stated that by issuing such threats, the law of the state had been violated by members and representatives of the groups. Said Aruwan:

“The Kaduna State Government strongly condemns the inciting hate speech delivered by some self-appointed  ‘northern youths’ seeking to target and violate the rights of our citizens of Igbo extraction.

“Preparatory to prosecution, the police have been directed to immediately arrest and interrogate the signatories to the statement and investigate all the circumstances and persons that may be implicated in the matter.”

The Governor also mandated the State Ministry of Justice to immediately commence the process of prosecuting the signatories to the said declaration as well as their members.

Recall that a coalition of northern youth groups had on Wednesday issued a threat statement called the “Kaduna Declaration,” giving all citizens of Igbo extraction a 30 – day ultimatum to leave the region or face  dire consequences.

The signatories to the declaration include Nastura Sharif (Arewa Citizens Action for Change), Amb. Shettima Yerima (Arewa Youth Consultative Forum), Aminu Adam (Arewa Youth Development Foundation), Alfred Solomon (Arewa Students Forum), Abdul-Azeel Suleiman (Northern Emancipation Network) as well as Joshua Viashman of the Northern Youth Vanguard.