Despite Threats, Hausa Stay Put In South-East
They have vowed that come rain, come sun shine, they will remain there to continue their normal businesses. They argue that some of them have lived in Igboland since the early 1970s and for them, there is no need running away from the areas where they “have become so settled and relaxed,” and where they […]
They have vowed that come rain, come sun shine, they will remain there to continue their normal businesses. They argue that some of them have lived in Igboland since the early 1970s and for them, there is no need running away from the areas where they “have become so settled and relaxed,” and where they have always been at peace with their hosts.
Sunday Trust went round the areas to ascertain why it appears easier to pass a cow through the eye of a needle than to convince any of these northerners, who have remained in the South-East to run away because some unknown groups issued a threat. At least, they reasoned that, for as long as they have lived in this part of Nigeria, they have never had problems with their Igbo hosts who have have accommodated them over the years.
In Abia State, it was gathered that the Hausas there were not relocating, since the government of Chief Theodore Orji has continued to assure them of their security. The situation is same in Ebonyi State where there has been no noted movement of the Hausa to their various states of origin. Also in Imo State, precisely at the Mbaise Road-round about, Owerri, the state capital, at a mini market where the Hausa sell clothes, footwears, such as sandals and slippers, among other items, not many could be sighted, although some were actually doing business there as at the time of writing this report.
However, majority of the Hausa businessmen were seen at Ama Hausa transacting their normal business of bureau de change without fear. Alhaji Hamza Abdulahi, an Ama-Hausa-based businessman, told Sunday Trust that the tension was as a result of the threat by the Boko Haram and the reported text messages being sent round by a faceless group, asking northerners to vacate the South-East. All the same, Abdulahi assured that within a short period of time those who relocated to the north will surely return to Owerri and continue their usual businesses.
The deadly bombings of some parts of Nigeria and the recent threat by the Boko Haram, warning Christians from the South who are residing in the northern states of Nigeria to relocate or face massive attacks, has continued to send fears down the spine of Northerners living in the South-East zone of the counrty.
Apparently, they are worried about reprisal attacks from their host states, especially with text messages coming from a somewhat faceless Igbo organisation, Ogbunigwe Ndigbo, threating to unleash mayhem on northerners in the zone, if they failed to relocate to their states of origin.
In a reaction, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, Major General Sunday Idoko, has warned those planning to stage reprisal attacks in the Division’s area of responsibility, to desist from such plans or be ready to face the wrath of the army.
“The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides for free existence of Nigerians in any part of the country irrespective of tribe or religion. This provision, the government and security agencies are determined to enforce,” he emphasised.
The GOC also warned those urging non christians/indigenes within the Division’s area of responsibility through text messages to leave or face the “danger of losing their lives” to retrace their steps.The 82 Division Area of responsibility comprises Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, Imo, Rivers States and some parts of Taraba State.
In addition, Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, went round recently and continued reassuring the Hausa community in the state of their security. He told the Hausas to go about their normal businesses without fear of being molested or assaulted.
Clearly, some northerners in the zone have reportedly relocated to their various states of origin. Sadly, some were said to have been involved in road accidents and died on their way back to their homes while others even got killed in the latest deadly bombings by the fundamentalist sect in the north.
The leader of the Hausa traders at the popular New Artisan Market, Enugu, Alhaji Murtala Ahmed, said people were no longer leaving, adding, “even right now, we are having a meeting.” He said Governor Chime had deployed securitymen to the necessary places to avert any breakdown of law and order in the state.
“Enugu is a home of peace; no tribalism. The security men are even here with us even though no single Hausa person has been assaulted or insulted by anybody in the entire Enugu state. The governor even visited to assure us of our security and we are going about our normal businesses,” Ahmed said.
Special Adviser to the Sarki Hausa in Enugu State, Alhaji Lawan Dan Tiv, told our reporter that the Hausa community in the state had no security problems to warrant relocation to their states of origin.
Dan Tiv stressed that as far as the Hausas in Enugu were concerned, they had no security problems since Governor Chime had earlier given them the assurance that their safety and security were guaranteed in the state. “We don’t have any problem here, but then, you can’t stop people from travelling,” he told our reporter in a telephone chat in Enugu. “We are living like brothers and sisters here in Enugu,” he added.
Mohammed, a lad who sells water at the Garki area of Awkunanaw in Enugu South local government area of the state, said he was going about his business without fear because nobody “is molesting me.”
The leader of Hausa at Garki Cattle Market, Awkunanaw, Enugu: Baba Aliu, told his story thus: “I’m from Garki, Awkunanaw cattle market. We, in Enugu State, don’t have problems with what is happening in Nigeria now, security wise. The only thing we are doing is to pray. And then our leaders in this area have promised us that nothing can happen to us and they assure us that they will never go against their words in the name of Allah.
“Some Hausa who rushed to their states of origin in the North have come back. We have no problem, particularly, in Enugu State. We are in peace. We are living happily in Enugu state with our Igbo brothers. That’s all.
“You asked how long I have lived in Igboland? I have been living here in Enugu since 1970 and I’ve never had problems with the Igbo. We are staying like brothers and sisters. We are very, very happy with the government of Enugu State and the people. So I go about my normal business and nobody molests me or any of my people.
On what I will advise over the situation, everybody has his own mind. All we know is that those people who are busy in the North causing this trouble, cannot say it’s because of religion that they are causing mayhem. No, it’s not religion. Only they know what they are after. I say so because the Allah we worship does not say you should kill your fellow human beings because you want to worship him. The trouble makers know what they will benefit from this crisis. No religion allows you to kill anyone or to destroy someone’s property without cause. That is selfishness.
“I will tell our Igbo brothers that we have come a long way and so we have to continue to live peace, like brothers and sisters. Christians, Muslims; all of us are from the same God. It’s not only one section of the country that owns it.”
Ba Mishkila (meaning no trouble) alias Sarkin Reza, is a commercial motorcycle (Okada) operator in Enugu, though he is from Misau local government area of Bauchi State. He is among those northerners who have stayed put in Igboland despite numerous threats for them to vacate. Sarkin Reza was seen at the Garki, Awkunanaw area of Enugu doing his okada business. He confessed that an Igboman bought the motor-cycle for him on hire purchase, adding that the people had been assisting him since five years ago he ran away from Bauchi after his house was set ablaze by some political zealots who wanted to kill him. He narrates his experience to Sunday Trust: “I have lived here in Enugu for almost five years. I have never had problems with the people.
“There was a time some of our people started running from Okigwe, in Imo state, Umuahia in Abia state. They ran to us here in Garki cattle market, Enugu. the Chairman of the cattle market, Alhaji Baba Aliyu, said that everybody should not be afraid of living here in Enugu. Yes, in Enugu state, we are sure of our security and safety.
The only problem we have here are the police. The police disturb us a lot. If they catch you, they will seize your motorcycle, until you bring the amount of money they demand from you. They are unlike the MOPOL (mobile police), who may listen to your plea and release you after arresting you for a minor issue.
The senior officials in the police force may not know what the junior officers are doing; how they are intimidating the ordinary citizens in Enugu. The regular policemen in Enugu have been extorting money from us and we have been begging them. We tell them we are in a democracy; government of the people, by the people and for the people. We are the people who gave the PDP votes but the policemen would not listen. In Bauchi, they burnt my house and Governor Isa Yugudu is aware of that. Those people who are running away from Igboland are endangering our lives. I am not supporting that kind of relocation. But I am begging government to ensure that this crisis ends.
Umaru Musa, who hails from Adamawa, was spotted in front of Old Artisan Market. He recalls his experience thus: “I work as security guard. I left my state to come and live here in Enugu. I have lived in Enugu state for about five years. I am not afraid. I do my normal business without fear. I thank God for my life. I don’t have problems with anybody – Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa.
My advice to those who have fled Igboland is that we, who are here, are in peace and our security is assured. Those who fled should come back and continue their normal businesses. We are all Nigerians and we have to be together and co-operate and do things together.”
Also interviewed was Labaran Alhaji from Kano State. He said, “I started living in Enugu since 1995 after I passed out of secondary school in Kano. Because of the lack of money to go back to school, I came to Enugu to sell suya, which is a business I inherited from my late father. Since I came to Enugu, I have not had problems with the Igbo people because I mind my own business.
Our leaders think they can control us any how it pleases them, even when they know we are not happy about a particular programme or policy. Moreover, if you are not one of them; if you are not among the ruling class, the government does not regard you, the citizen, as anything and this is not very good.
As a citizen, I have three children and I don’t do any other business apart from selling suya. And the few problems we have here are from the officials of government. They come here to challenge us; to come and demand plenty of levies and taxes. Enugu State Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA) officials will come. Environment Ministry people will come. Business Premises people will all come to collect levies upon levies from the same person. They challenge us a lot and they usually ask us to settle them with money or bribe before we can continue with our business.
Before the voilence started, some of our people from the North usually come here to sell animals like goats, cows, onions, yams, fruits and other things. Some of these people don’t have stalls in the market. The main reason why some of our people ran away from here was because of the federal government’s introduction of oil subsidy. Some people told us that if the fuel subsidy was removed, the vehicles would be withdrawn from the roads and those travelling to the Northern parts of the country wouldn’t have means of reaching their destinations. That was the main information that made some of our people to rush back to the north. They began to enter trailers, buses and all sorts of trucks to go back to the north. And some of those who travelled got involved in road accidents. Some even travelled in the night and some died on the road during accidents. So that information really confused our people.
“My advice is that whenever you hear any information, try to evaluate it, to know the truth in it before taking any action. It’s not sensible to begin to run when nobody assaults you or challenges you. If you don’t fight anybody, no one will fight you. Before you do something, think twice. On the part of the government, I will suggest that those in government should always look very well at the pros and cons of any programme and/or policy they want to initiate or introduce. They should be honest with the masses. They shouldn’t be playing hide-and-seek with the millions of poor people of this country.
“On our people in Kano, Christians and Muslims should try and live in peace that same way we are living peacefully with our Christian brothers and Igbo people here in Igboland.”
Alhaji Adamu Maiwa, Vice Chairman, Hausa community, Cattle Market, New Artisan Market shered his perspective thus: I have lived in Igboland for 31 years and I don’t have any problems with anybody. Here in Enugu State, we are doing our businesses. Although there is violence in parts of the country, in Enugu State, we live in peace.
The only problem we have is that the rate of general insecurity in the country, especially in the northern part of Nigeria is making many people to feel apprehensive, not just in Enugu state, but in the entire nation. The reason why people are feeling apprehensive is that some groups in the north will issue warnings, saying that they are going to pursue our Christian brothers living in the north. People should stop spreading information that can create fear and panic in the minds of innocent people so that they won’t run away from where they are living their normal lives.
All the same, we are praying to God to help normalise the situation in our country so that we can continue to live in peace and enjoy ourselves. We ask our leaders to provide adequate security in the nation.
My advice is that those who fled Igboland should try back to continue their normal businesses. Our job is to continue to pray. And those of our people in the various communities in the north should learn to tolerate one another, not minding whether you are a Muslims or Christians.