A nongovernmental and nonpolitical organisation, One Nigeria Group (ONG), has called on Nigerians to rise against secession moves by any ethnic group or individual.
The president, Muhammad Sale Hassan, made the call at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, on Wednesday during a peace march against the backdrop of the ongoing trial of the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, at Federal High Court, Abuja.
Hassan stressed that succession agitations by some groups and individuals had been threatening the unity, peace and existence of the country and should never be taken for granted for any reason.
He added that it was the need to call on Nigerians to rise against the tendency and uphold the unity and peace of the country that occasioned the peace march.
“We are calling on every Nigerian for support. This secession that people are looking at as a small thing is not a small thing at all.
“We better stand up and rise against it, rise against ethnocentrism, rise against religious sentiment and respect our institutions so that we can build our country on the foundation of law and order,” Hassan said.
“It should not be about this man is our tribe, why are they persecuting him? Countries in America and Europe build their foundations on the rule of law and order, national values and strong institutions.
“That is why they prosper. But we live in a country where people bring ethnic sentiment to court and everything we do in this country. We have to do away with this,” he added.