By-Oke Orhonigbe
A group based in Northern Nigeria, Northerner Consensus Movement, has declared a 30-day-ultimatum for all the governments of Southern Nigeria including East, West and South South to pay compensation for all the lives and properties of Hausas and Fulanis reportedly lost in the Southern zone.
President of NCM, Awwal Adullahi Aliyu, in a video released by RootsTV, said Northerners will no longer tolerate the killings, destruction of lives and properties of Northeners living and doing their trade in Southern Nigeria.
In the six minute video, he said: “We have done it in the past, we will do it again. A word is enough for the wise. Compensations must be paid for every penny and dime that has been lost by a Northerner be he an Hausa man, Fulani man, Tivi man or any other tribe that is in the North that his life or properties has been lost or destroyed in the South”.
Aliyu further stated that the state governments of the states where the incidents took place are to be held responsible for their losses and hence they must pay.
He said: “The state governments are responsible and they must pay us, if they don’t, they should not blame us for whatever action we will take.
“We are passing a word of warning, we are giving a 30-day-ultimatum from today to those state governments and we are expecting them to act.
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Aliyu, in his speech, disclosed that the oil being boasted of today by the Southerners was discovered, harnessed, the refineries constructed with the Northern Nigeria sweat, economy and money.
“The money from groundnut pyramid and cotton was what we used to research, discover and build the refineries that some parts of Nigeria claim to be their own property.
“If that is the case, we also deserve just like the NDDC and Niger Delta Ministry, there should be a Northern Development Ministry that should also be given the same amount of money given to NDDC, because our money was what they used to develop the oil,’ he said.
Aliyu further said that they have discovered oil wells in some places in Taraba and that is why Boko Haram insurgents are terrorizing the state to stop the harnessing of oil in the state.
“We have a deposit of gold in Benuguari that is more than the gold in South Africa and Ghana and that is why the banditry are within that axis to disrupt the peace so as to hinder harnessing the gold there.
The President said that the Northerners who live in the south south, South East and West cannot be compared to those from these regions who dwell in the North.
“We are ready to co-exist as Nigerians but if you don’t want it that way, the North is ready. We have more than enough to care for ourselves and make Northern Nigeria greater.
“And while you are calling for ODUA Republic and Biafra, we in the North will remain as Nigeria because Northern Nigerians are true Nigerians.”
