Six northern Governors led by the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Kashim Shettima, have paid a solidarity visit to Abia State.
Among the northern governors that made the visit are Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Abubakar Sani of Niger State, and Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State.
Others are Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State and Governor Atiku Bello of Kebbi State.
On Monday, they met in a meeting with Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu.
Governors of the South East had hinted about the visit in their resolutions of Friday, which included the ban on the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
“We are in touch with the Northern Governors Forum and they have assured us of the safety of all our people living in the North and we have also planned for exchange of visits between the governors. This is to reinforce the confidence of Nigerians in this regard,” one of their resolutions read.
The resolutions had been made during a five-hour meeting the South-East governors held at the Government House in Enugu over the increased tension in the South East and North which was fuelled by the activities of IPOB. and fears of attacks and counter-attacks on non-indigenes in both regions.
Earlier, a statement by Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, issued by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, said that the visit was an effort to douse tension and promote peace and dialogue among all sections of the country.
“The team, to be led by the Chairman of the Forum, Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno, will also have Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina and Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto.
“Other members of the team are Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi and Mr Simon Lalong of Plateau states,” he said.
The spokesman said that the delegation would hold meetings with their counterparts in Rivers, Abia and Imo states.
“Apart from the visit to political leaderships in those states, the delegation is expected to meet with traditional and religious leaders and also confer with northerners resident in those states.
“Importantly, the delegation will reassure their counterparts in the South-South and South East that all Nigerians are free to stay in all parts of the country.”
He said the delegation would also reiterate that “the entire North stands with the people of South East in this period of heightened tension”.
