The Kaduna state government has also ordered the arrest of leaders of the northern groups over the call, dismissing their action as provocative and contrary to public peace.
"All Igbos now residing in any part of northern Nigeria are hereby served notice to relocate within three months and all northerners residing in the East are advised likewise", a spokesman for a movement called the Northern Youth Groups said on Tuesday in the northern city of Kaduna.
In the statement, called the Kaduna Declaration, the groups jointly said their call had become necessary due to the "widening secessionist tendency" of prominent Igbo groups with alleged connivance of elites from the region. "Any attack on our people shall receive commensurate reaction".
"We restate our determination and commitment to ensuring that the North will never partake in any contrived arrangement that would still have the Biafran Igbo as a component". "In this matter of threat to the corporate existence of Nigeria, there must be no sacred cows".
Hopefully, this doesn't result in any violence against Nigerians based on where they are from. That led to a revenge coup six months later and the massacre of tens of thousands of Igbos across northern Nigeria.
The group hinged its submission on the the allegation that the South East had held other parts of the federation to ransom for too long.
"To this end, we are calling on our people in the North not to shift any ground; they should remain where they are; this country belongs to all of us".
Stockpile Hike Leads to Plunging Oil Prices
USA crude was down 1% to $47.73 per barrel. "It really looks as if fears of oversupply is what's driving the market". The market expectation for crude stocks was a decline of 3.5 million barrels.
They also assured Igbos in the north of their security despite a three- month ultimatum given to them to leave the region.
Suleiman said, "With the effective date of this declaration, which is today, Tuesday, June 6, 2017, all Igbo now residing in any part of northern Nigeria are, hereby, served notice to relocate within three months and all northerners residing in the South-East are advised likewise.
We disown, and we are totally distancing ourselves from those faceless groups who don't have the mandate of the people of Northern Nigeria to make such loud pronouncements", Shettima said.
Some groups in a statement read after a press conference at the Arewa House, Kaduna, on Tuesday, had issued the ultimatum, expressing disgust for the agitation of Ndigbo seeking for a separate state of Biafra.
"We, however, wish to state unequivocally that Igbos are not cowards".
"From that date, effective, peaceful and safe mop-up of all the remnants of the stubborn Igbo that neglect to heed this quit notice shall commence to finally eject them from every part of the north".
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