Nef says southern candidates who do not condemn killing of northerners will not be voted for in the north

NORTHERN Elders Forum (NEF) officials have expressed disgust at the ongoing killing of northerners in the south of the country saying they will reject presidential candidates who refuse to speak out against such killings. 

As Nigeria's insecurity deepens, the random killing of innocent people has grown phenomenally of late, with kidnapers, armed robbers, hoodlums and bandits having a field day. What was once just confined to northern Nigeria has now spread to the south of the country, with several northerners recently killed for no apparent reason in the southeast.

Nef spokesman Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, condemned the recent killings of northerners in the south, especially in Imo state. He described the Imo killings as one incident among many recent incidents that involve harassment, illegal arrests, attacks, and the killing of northerners, saying it is unacceptable and intolerable. 

Mr Baba-Ahmed said: “We are deeply concerned over rising cases of profiling, targeting and killings of northerners in many parts of the south. The recent murder of Nigerians in Imo State apparently on suspicion that they were northerners, is one incident among many recent ones that involve harassment, illegal arrests, attacks, and killings of Nigerians from the north. 

“The impression that northerners are fair game for groups and organisations in the south is forcing northerners to exercise their rights to travel and live peacefully in any part of Nigeria only under great danger and fear. This is intolerable and unacceptable and our forum demands that governments, communities and law enforcement agencies protect northerners living in the south. 

“It demands clear and emphatic condemnation from leaders, elders and communities who understand that the welfare and security of all citizens are vulnerable to the degree that other citizens are unsafe in certain parts of the country.  To this end, we serve notice that the north will use the degree to which contestants for political office speak in clear terms in condemnation of these attacks on northerners as a yardstick for our support of candidates and parties.

“While we appeal to all communities to live in peace with each other. We also demand that killers who target northerners are found and punished.”