TheCable

John Nwodo, president-general of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, says the country should not be allowed to get to the stage of another civil war.

Nwodo said this on Thursday when he paid a visit to Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto.

He said although the country is facing challenges, the unity that has existed over the years was worthy of being maintained.

The president-general who explained that his visit was at‎ the instance of the south-east governors, assured the governor of their cooperation for peaceful coexistence among the ethnic nationalities in the country.

“Yes, our country is facing a trying ‎period, but we should not, under any circumstance, allow the experience of another civil war to happen again. We should not allow personal emotions to undermine our national unity,” Nwodo said.

“In the same vein, ‎I came with the assurances of Southeast governors that any Igbo who wants to kill a northerner, should first kill them.”

He commended Sa’ad Abubakar, sultan of Sokoto, who “in the ‎ongoing ethnic tensions, portrayed himself as a father by stating recently that ‘whoever wants to attack the Igbos, should attack him, first”.

On his part, Tambuwal said the tension in the south-east was caused by men who did not not know how to channel their “grievances”.

“The recent tension especially in the south-east was caused by young men who do not understand any other way of channelling their grievances other than the way they have chosen,” the governor said.

“I assure you that we are at peace with each other here in Sokoto and we shall continue to be.”