Ethnic groups meet in Lagos over insecurity

Representatives of major ethnic groups in Nigeria yesterday met in Lagos over the current security challenges.

The summit, tagged “Engaging the Media and Community-based Organisations for post Election Reconciliation and Conflict Prevention in Lagos State”, was facilitated by the Civil Society Group, Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER).

JODER Executive Director Adewale Adeoye said: “At present, Nigeria is home to some 350 million illegal weapons, representing some 70 percent of illicit weapons in the entire West Africa.

“Ten years ago, we saw the growth of violence in the northeast. Few years after, the Middle Belt began to witness its own dose of fire and brimstone. Villages were attacked. Children and women were killed. The rampaging, the cries, the hues were all too graphic to be ignored.

Guest Speaker Prof. Stephen Akintoye said people of Yoruba ethnic group were willing to live in harmony with other tribes, but that they would vehemently reject any attempt to be dominated by any ethnic group.

Secretary-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dimm Uche Okwukwu, said in tackling security challenges the people must avoid ethnicisation of crimes as that might cause greater security threats.

The secretary of the Lagos State branch of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Maikudi Usman, said as cattle traders, said the association usually applied sanction on any members engaging in criminal acts.