WARRI- AS Hausas move out in droves from Warri, Delta State, following perceived fear of attacks, Chairman of the Hausa community in Warri, Alhaji Isah Alkali, has said that allegations that they were running due to rumour mongers was not true.
He said in a chat with Vanguard in Warri, that the exodus was occasioned by activities of hoodlums in Warri, who occasionally attacked wrist–watch, sugar-cane, yam and onion sellers of Northern origin and cart away their wares, cash and GSM phones.
Alhaji Alkali said they were living in peace with indigenes of the state as nobody had ever threatened them in any way.
He maintained that the rumours of war were all lies intended to cause a breach of the peace, adding that both Christians and Muslims are brothers and worship the same God.
He said that while some were fleeing, others, especially traders with trailer loads of ram, chicken, sugar-cane and herds of cow, were trooping daily into Warri, for their businesses in and around the busy Ugbuwangue community market and the Hausa quarters in the Igbudu community of the oil city.
Confirming the exodus of the Hausa traders and Muslims from Ugbuwangue community, chairman of the Youth Working Committee, Prince Francis Yowunren, urged them to report any rumour of impending attacks to him, and allayed their fears of any attack in Ugbuwangue community.
Yowunren said Delta State was a peaceful place for all Nigerians and advised them to go about their legitimate business as nobody would cause them any harm.
He advised the Boko Haram sect to stop further killings of Southerner and Christians in the North as it was causing suspicions amongst peace loving Nigerians.