Arewa Cautions Media Against Instigating Ethnic Crisis

The Arewa Council of Chiefs, Agege Kingdom, Lagos State, has cautioned the media against acts capable of triggering ethnic crisis in the country.

They sounded the note of caution following a recent report that Hausa teenagers attacked Lagooz Schools, Lagos, beat up the principal and made away with N1.5m.

Spokesperson of the council, Alhaji Kabiru Ali-Dinai, at a briefing at the school premises, said the report was in bad taste and a misrepresentation of the incident that took place on the fateful day.

Proprietor of the school, Yomi Otubela, who also spoke during the briefing, described the report, which claimed that “Hausa teenagers numbering 100, stormed Lagooz Schools in Orile Agege Local Council Development Area, during its valedictory service with machetes and other weapons, beat up the principal and a teacher; stole N1.5m as well as destroyed some of the school property,” as false, malicious, outrageous and exaggerated.

Ali-Dinai, who expressed disappointment with the report, said both the reporter and the media house ought to have carefully verified the incident before going to press. The spokesperson who said his people were no longer considered settlers, but as part and parcel of the community having existed there as far back as 1863, added that they have a track record of peaceful coexistence between the Hausa and the host community.

“And so, we were shocked when we saw the publication because to the best of our knowledge it was a minor issue, which had since been resolved. Our fear is this, this kind of publication can cause ethnic crisis. We decided that before we can take any legal action, we should do our findings to understand the purpose of that report.