Osinbajo vows to deal with those promoting hate speeches, violence

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) on Tuesday called on Nigerians promoting hate speeches or making pronouncements that can cause violence or disruption of lives and property in the country, to desist from such.

He said those who are engaging in such behaviour should forthwith stop from such divisive behaviour or face the full wrath of the law.

Osinbajo stated this in Abuja at the beginning of a series of consultative meetings he is holding this week with Leaders of Thought from the North and South-East parts of the country.

The meeting on Tuesday which was the first in the series was with a cross section of leaders from Northern states at the Old Banquet Hall in the State House.

Addressing the leaders he said, “Living in a diverse country such as ours of course as most of us who are here know, is one that will give rise to unique challenges, several challenges and several issues.

“Most, who are here today have been witnesses to practically all phases of Nigerian History which, is one of the reasons we have asked that you come today. There is hardly anyone here who has not witnessed the most important landmarks in our history, some tragic, some joyful and, many times unable to put together.

“This is one of the reasons why I thought that, this particular group of people are important to be here today. In the past few weeks, I’m sure many of us have noticed that there have been louder noises of hate, of division, especially from the younger persons in our society. Much louder noises than perhaps had been the case in the past.

“Recently of course there was the loud agitations about secession from some of the groups of some young people in the South-East, IPOB and groups that are affiliated with them but also and perhaps more recently, the call by a group of young persons from the North, who claim to have given an ultimatum to all of those who are from the South-East who live in the North to vacate the North by October 1st, 2017.”

He said while some people may argue that the hate speeches are mere threaths that should be ignored, he vowed that the Federal Government was not going to ignore them but was going to address them quickly.

He therefore called on leaders of thoughts and elders who have been through several phases of Nigeria’s history to advice the younger people in their midst properly.

He added, “I want to say that our defining strength is what our constitution calls the sovereign ‘nation under God.’ There are multitudes of people from the North and multitudes of the people from the South who live in either the South or the North. There is no homogenous society in Nigeria; the North has several people living there from different parts of the country.

Read also : #QUITNOTICE: Blamed for his silence, Osinbajo finally starts peace moves

“Every form of violence, every form of hate speech, every stone that is thrown in the market place will hit targets that are not even intended. And I believe that the Nigerian people must be made very conscious of that, so that we do not create a crisis that is un-intended.

As a government, we are of cause determined to ensure the unity of the country along the lines of our constitution. I want to say that hate or divisive speech, or divisive behaviour, where it is illegal, will be met with the full force of the law. And I want to ensure that there is no doubt of the resolve of government to ensure that no one will be allowed to get away with making speeches that can cause division, or that can cause violence.”

Osinbajo vow is coming even as the Nigeria security forces have been unable to make any arrest of the northern youths over their quit notice order to Ndigbo, despite the order of Governor Nasir El – Rufai of Kaduna State for the arrest of those behind the quit notice order.

 

 

 

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