The Minister of Interior, Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) said the federal government would prosecute those behind the March 8, 2017 crisis that led to the clash between Yoruba and Hausa traders in the Sabo area of Ile-Ife, Osun state.
Speaking to journalists at the weekend in Abuja, Danbazau said already security agencies were working to effect arrest of those behind the crisis and bring them to book.
He described the crisis as a sad development considering the cordial relationship between Yoruba and Hausa communities which has existed for the past 200 years.
Dambazau , who visited the area after returning from South Africa where he was part of a delegation to address the xenophobic attack on Nigerians, said government has engaged leaders of the two communities in order to bring lasting peace.
“It is very clear that this issue is not about crisis between Hausa community and Yoruba community in Ife. The Hausa community has been leaving in Ife close to 200 years. I understand that the first settlers arrived in 1820 and this is about the 4th or 5th generation.
“They have never experienced this kind of thing until now. So, it is not about ethnic issue. It is about a bunch of people who decided to constitute themselves as nuisance to carry out this dastardly act. Quite a number of them escaped from the community. So, we made them understand that they should not look at it from the point of ethnicity and they all agreed.
“We also emphasis the need to remain in peace and the issue of revenge, reprisal shouldn’t come to anybody’s mind because the government is handling the situation and those who are found to be involved and deliberately attack and take people’s lives and destroyed properties will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
“We made them understand that the government is up and doing, the government is taking up its responsibility in ensuring that it protects lives and properties because in accordance with chapter two of the constitution, the purpose of government is protection of lives and properties”.
The minister said they also moved to Ibadan and met with the leadership of all the Hausa communities in the South West.
“We discussed all the issues and that they discuss with their people on the need for peaceful co-existence,” he said.
