Following intense pressure from numerous quarters, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) on Thursday rescinded the quit notice it handed down to Igbos living in the northern part of the country.

The announcement was contained in a statement delivered by the spokesperson of the group, Abdulazeez Sulaiman at a world press conference held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

Sulaiman said the quit notice was in the first place, issued to Igbos because of the threats of war, violence and anarchy being orchestrated by the Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) which according to him, were aimed at the North and its people.

He added that the measure to relocate the Igbos was “largely informed by the fear created by the silent endorsement of this scary condition by the Igbo leaders nationwide and their open embrace of the architect of this dangerous brand of agitation.”

He revealed that the CNG’s decision to issue the Kaduna Declaration was also based on several reasons which included IPOB’s arrogant attitude of continuous affront on Nigeria’s peaceful co-existence, its fake agitation based on exaggerated claims of marginalisation as well as the alienation of other Nigerians from gaining the same opportunity and access in South-Eastern Nigeria while they remain at the forefront of enjoying such opportunities in all other communities in the country.

The group also accused the Igbos of infiltrating the pharmaceutical markets in the north with fake, adulterated and hard drugs which according to them were introduced to destroy the social fabric of the northern society.

The CNG however said its decision to suspend the quit notice was premised on the immense pressures from well-meaning Nigerians and highly-placed government officials and groups through numerous interactions and dialogues as well as their allegiance to a united, peaceful and prosperous nation.

“Admittedly, we came under intense persuasive pressure from genuinely concerned national, political, traditional, religious and cultural leaders prominent among which were a section of the Northern Governors Forum under its Chairman, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state, northern traditional rulers and the Department of State Services.

“We also had several fruitful interactions with various concerned individuals and groups. Most significant was our correspondent with the then Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and most recently our interface with the Presidency through the Special Assistant to the President on political matters.

“As a consequence of these vigorous engagements and as cultured people with a tradition of respect for our national values, leaders and elders, we are today pleased to announce the immediate suspension of the relocation clause otherwise referred to as the quit notice from the Kaduna Declaration.

The group expressed satisfaction that the Declaration had achieved most of its intended objectives, the most important being forcing the hitherto deliberately neglected issue of Biafra to the front burner of the nation’s discussion table.

The CNG however said it would not relent in the pursuit of its petitions to the Nigerian authorities and United Nations for the appropriate sanction of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu and their sponsors and called on the Federal Government to conduct a referendum for the Igbos to determine their future as the principle of self-determination has since World War II, become a part of the United Nations Charter.