The leadership of the Arewa Community in the Southeast region of Nigeria, has called for an end to the gimmicks of some politicians who allegedly exploit the name of Northerners residing in the Southeast region for personal or political interests.
The Chairman of the Arewa Community in the Southeast, Alhaji Gidado Siddiki made the call in a message to Muslim faithful and residents of the Southeast on the occasion of the Eid-El Kabir celebration marked across the country.
The call, according to Alhaji Siddiki, has become imperative, following reports of a recurring development where politicians appear to be profiling Northerners in the region, usually during election seasons, just to secure some form of endorsements from them.
Siddiki, who is also the Sarkin Fulani Awka, urged politicians and public actors to refrain from deploying Northerners in the region as tools for political games.
He clarified that no state government in the Southeast has ever officially registered Northerners or issued identification tags to them, noting that there is no official identification system for Northerners in the region.
According to him, Northerners, just like every other resident in the region, have continued to live and undertake their legitimate ventures, as well as performed performed other civic responsibilities such as voting and tax payment, just like every other person.
“Sometimes, we see situations where politicians try to use our members for endorsements.
“We have also read from social media platforms that some former governors and other politicians were profiling Northerners and giving them tags.
“We want to make it clear that no former governor in the Southeast has ever conducted any form of registration for Northerners in the region. What we as Northerners have is a cordial relationship with our hosts. We associate and do business with them. We also vote during elections with our Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs just like every other resident of the Southeast.
“When we begin to see such publications, we feel it is our obligation to refute such claims, because anytime election approaches, they use to deploy such strategies as a political weapon for personal or political interests,” Siddiki noted.
The National Deputy Director General, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) commended Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, the Governors of the Southern States, and President Bola Tinubu for what he described as their steadfast commitment toward ensuring that every Nigerian is free to reside and carry out legitimate business activities peacefully in any part of the country without intimidation or hindrance.
On the Eid-El Kabir celebration, Alhaji Siddiki noted that the occasion commemorates the obedience, sacrifice, and devotion of Prophet Ibrahim, who demonstrated total submission to the command of Allah before Allah replaced the intended sacrifice with a ram.
According to him, the sacred festival serves as a reminder of the values of faith, sacrifice, peace, tolerance, and compassion, which remain essential for the growth and stability of the society.
“We, the Muslim and Northern communities residing in Anambra State and across the South-East geopolitical zone, and the Arewa Community in Anambra State, are delighted to celebrate this year’s Eid peacefully and harmoniously with our host communities. We sincerely appreciate the governments, traditional rulers, community leaders, security agencies, and the good people of the South East for their hospitality, support, and commitment to peaceful coexistence over the years.
“We also urge our people to continue to remain law-abiding, peaceful, and supportive of every initiative that promotes unity, development, and mutual understanding in their respective communities. We encourage everyone to desist from actions or statements capable of threatening the peace and harmony we have collectively built over the years.
“As we celebrate Eid al-Kabir, we pray for lasting peace, unity, security, and prosperity in Anambra State, the South East, and Nigeria as a whole,” he prayed.
