Ahead of Nigeria’s March 28th presidential poll, southerners resident in the North are fleeing the region in droves, apprehensive over possible outbreak of violence that may trail announcement of result of the election.
In Kano, economic activities have dwindled in areas heavily populated by southerners. Areas such as Yankaba, Naibawa, Hotoro Quarters and Sabon Gari are mostly affected as most southerners have left the state with their families, hoping to return when the tension associated with the polls reduces.
Luxury bus operators at the popular New Road luxury bus terminal are making brisk business as they have taken advantage of the situation to increase transportation fares from North down South.
A journey that hitherto attracted between N3,500 and N4000 fares now goes for between N6,500 and N8,000, representing almost 100 per cent increase, and travellers are not perturbed about it.
NE investigations, the panicky relocation is further heightened by the uncertainty of the reaction of the people after election results are declared, especially if it does not go if favour of the Northerners.
“I have told my husband that if he is not leaving; I must do everything possible to travel with my children today because from what I am hearing, there will be serious problem. Have you not heard that very soon they will block roads and nobody will travel again?” a woman who identified herself as Chioma told our correspondent.
Commenting on the development, Interim President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Kano, Chief Chris Chukwubuzor Azuka said the Igbo apex organization has since advised their people not to flee Kano, but to remain in the state and perform their civic responsibility.
Azuka, however, agreed that most people have refused to heed the advice “because they feel government is not doing enough to guarantee their safety. You remember the experience of 2011 when our people were killed and their properties destroyed. I think what they are doing now is to take precautionary measures.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo has never advised anybody to leave Kano. We keep on appealing to them to stay behind, because if they registered here and now they are leaving—they are simply disenfranchising themselves. In any case, it will be improper to say that all Igbos or all southerners have left Kano. We are still around because we believe that Kano is part of our country, and the host community here remains part of us because it is made up of our brothers and sisters.
“The challenges we have as community leaders handling this situation are that we are not security personnel or the government who can guarantee the safety of people; but in terms of sensitization, I think we are trying our best to educate our people on the need to remain peaceful, calm, law-abiding and patriotic. And we keep on praying that this election will come and go in peace and Nigeria will emerge stronger as one united country.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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