Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has called on the public to ignore the viral threat on social media X, demanding Igbo citizens to leave Lagos State in the next one month.
The threat seen by Channels Television on Friday indicated that citizens of all South-Eastern states, must vacate Lagos State, or face massive protests slated to hold from August 20th -30th, 2024.
The faceless group promoting the #IgboMustGo campaign, also instructed all South-West citizens in the South-Eastern part of the country, to come back to the region.
However, a swift reaction by Sanwo-Olu on Friday, said the Lagos State government is not in support of the proposed protest.
The governor’s stance comes following call by a former presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, Abubakar Atiku, for the Federal Government to investigate, arrest and prosecute promoters of the #IgboMustGo protest.
Sanwo Olu wrote, “The attention of Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been drawn to a post by LagosPedia, a social media handle on X (formerly Twitter) that calls on the Igbo to vacate Lagos and Southwest of Nigeria and brace up for a massive hashtag #Igbomustgo protest from 20th to 30th August, 2024.
“The Governor of Lagos State and indeed, Lagos State Government wish to distance themselves from the reckless, divisive and dangerous rhetoric, saying Lagos remains home to every Nigerian citizen regardless of their ethnic nationality.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu views the post as not only reckless and divisive but an attempt to sow a seed of discord between the Yoruba in the Southwest and other tribes, especially those who have made Lagos their permanent place of abode.”
The governor then appealed to Lagosians not to allow any person or group of individuals to create tensions in the State.
He called on the security agencies to promptly investigate those behind the handle and bring them to justice.
“Mr. Governor enjoins Lagosians to ignore the post and any post of that nature, promising to double his efforts towards ensuring lasting peace in the State,’ the statement added.