Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has condemned a recent post by @Lagospedia on X (formerly Twitter), which called for the Igbo to vacate Lagos and the South-West.
The post, made on July 27, 2024, suggested a massive #IgboMustGo protest from August 20 to 30, 2024, sparking widespread controversy on social media.
In a statement released late Thursday, Sanwo-Olu’s media aide, Gboyega Akosile, emphasized that the governor and the Lagos State Government “wish to distance themselves from the reckless, divisive, and dangerous rhetoric, stating that Lagos remains home to every Nigerian citizen regardless of their ethnic nationality.”
Sanwo-Olu views the post as an attempt to sow discord between the Yoruba in the South-West and other tribes, particularly those who have made Lagos their permanent home. “The governor appeals to Lagosians not to allow any person or group of individuals to create tensions in the state,” Akosile said. He called on security agencies to investigate those behind the handle and bring them to justice.
The governor’s statement came hours after the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, urged the Federal Government to investigate and take action against those responsible for the #IgboMustGo hashtag on X. In a post on his verified Facebook page, Atiku labelled the hashtag as divisive and a threat to peace and security.
“The recent call on X (formerly Twitter) for a protest under the hashtag #IgboMustGo, demanding the forced relocation of Igbo people from Lagos and other South-West states, is deeply troubling and fundamentally opposed to the principles of unity and coexistence that define our nation,” Atiku wrote. “Such rhetoric is not only divisive but also endangers our peace and security, as our Constitution guarantees every Nigerian the right to live and work freely anywhere in the country.”
