October 1st is underway – the day a Northern a coalition asked the Igbos to vacate the region (now reversed) – the leadership of the Igbo community in Northern Nigeria has said that Igbos will not heed to the call by an association of lawyers in Anambra, asking them to return home, The Nation reports.

This was also as, one of the Leaders of the Coalition of Northern Youth, which hitherto issued quit notice to the Igbos living in the north, Yerima Shettima has assured them that, no harm will come their way by October 1st and beyond.

He assured that no Igbo man living in the north will heed to such call because every Nigerian under the constitution of the country has right to live anywhere they feel like within the country.

Nnoli who is also the President General of Igbo Community Welfare Association (ICWA) in Kaduna said, October 1st remains Nigeria’s national day and they will all celebrate together as Nigerians.

“We are not in support of such call and if lawyers actually made such call, because I also read the story in a national daily, then it is very unfortunate and are not going heed to it”, he said.

In a related development, Shettima who also reacted to the call by the lawyers asking the Igbos in the north to return home before October 1st to avoid been caught unaware as it happened in 1966.

According to the Northern youth coalition leader, the lawyers asking the Northern-based Igbos to return home at the period are mischief makers and enemies of Nigeria.

According to Shettima, “we are people of honour and respect. We honour our words. So, Igbos in the north can go about their normal business and they should not listen to mischief makers.

“We have sensitised our members to ensure safety of every Nigerian, especially the Igbos and we can assure you that, nothing will happen to the Igbos by October 1st and even beyond”, Shettima assured.