Islamic leader alleges threat to the lives of northerners in Rivers by militants

The Chairman of Rivers State Supreme Islamic Council, Alhaji Nasiri Owhor, has stated that his organisation has received a series of the threat to lives of northerners resident in Port Harcourt by those he described as militants.
Alhaji Owhor, stated this in Port Harcourt on Friday while speaking to Dailytrust. He said the militants have branded them as Boko Haram members and asked them to return to their respective states of origin or risk being attacked.
He also said the militants have threatened to attack them if President Goodluck Jonathan lose the March 28 election.
“Yes, we have been receiving reports that northerners are being threatened on a daily basis by those that go by the name militants …
They have warned Hausa people to leave the state and threatened to attack them should Buhari win the presidential election.” “Based on this threat, most of northerners moved out of the state; only for a few of them returned because of the postponement of the elections. The threats are real and we are not taking them lightly.”
However, Owhor said he has directed the Muslim community in the state not to be frightened by the threats but remain resolute in their resolve to vote for the candidates of their choice, stressing that the threat was aimed at intimidating them.
Meanwhile, the south south and south-east vice chairman of Jamaatu Nasril Islam, Alhaji Abubarkar Orlu, has dismissed the threats, saying they were ochesrtated by desperate politicians to cause ethnic and religious tension across the country.
Orlu who also spoke in Port Harcourt yesterday, said the rumoured planned attack was masterminded by those he described as enemies of democracy who want to use religious and ethnic sentiments to cause division among the people of Niger Delta and the northerners on one hand and the Muslims and Christians on the other.
“I want to tell you as the leader of the Islamic community in the south south and south east that there is no iota of truth in that rumour.
The northerners and the people of Niger Delta have come a long way. They have enjoyed cordial relationship than spans several years.”
He then called on politicians to stop using religion and ethnic sentiments to cause trouble in the country.

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