By Aiyeku Timothy
Some northern governors are currently in Oyo State to meet Governor Seyi Makinde at the government house in Agodi for peace talks following the recent crisis at Shasha market in Ibadan.
The governors include Zamfara state governor, Bello Matawalle; Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano and Abubakar Bello of Niger, as disclosed on Twitter by the state governor, Seyi Makinde.
Others present at the meeting were Special Adviser to Makinde on Security Fatai Owoseni; Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Relations (Arewa Community), Alhaji Ahmad Murtala; Serikis representing Hausa communities among other stakeholders.
Makinde had, in a statement on Sunday, February 14, warned against such an inter-ethnic conflict, noting that it can degenerate into civil war if not quickly addressed.
It would be recalled that in a clash that trailed the farmer-herder crisis in Oyo state, aggrieved Hausa and Yoruba people on Saturday, February 13, attacked one another in a tragic uprising that led to wanton destruction, a development that could lead to tension across the country.
The Northern Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN) who expressed concerns following the alleged constant attacks against northerners warned youths not to make any trips to the southwest for now.
Also in their reaction, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) called on President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Makinde to investigate the incident in Shasha community.
The outcome of the meeting between the northern governors and Seyi Makinde is yet to be known as they were still meeting at press time.
It was gathered the Governors will tour the Shasha area to make an on-the-spot assessment of the market on Tuesday.
They are also billed to meet with various stakeholders from ethnic groups in the crisis with a view to arriving at amicable resolutions of the crisis.
