Arewa Youth Council disowns anti-Atiku statement

By Lateef Ibrahim

The Arewa Youth Council, (AYC), has officially disassociated itself from a recent statement attacking former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, which was credited to one Adams Reuben, whom the group says is neither a member nor representative of the organization.

The controversial publication, titled “Arewa Youths Blast Atiku Over Attacks on Tinubu, Say Ex-VP is Bitter, Hypocritical,” appeared in several national newspapers on April 18, 2025, sparking public outrage and media attention.

However, in a strongly worded statement issued on Friday, the AYC condemned the remarks and clarified its position.

According to the statement signed by Ambassador Dogo Shagari, the duly recognized President of the Arewa Youth Council, and Mallam Abdullahi Bilal, the group’s Publicity Secretary, Reuben Adams—who posed as President of the AYC—is an impostor with no ties to the council.

“Even though we are not interested in the content of the said statement, we wish to categorically state that the individual known as Reuben Adams is not a member of our organization and has never held any position within the Arewa Youth Council,” Shagari stated.

The AYC described Adams’ actions as unauthorized, misleading, and potentially dangerous, warning that such impersonation could mislead the public and create unnecessary political tension.

The group called on the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other relevant security agencies to launch an investigation and prosecute Reuben for impersonation and related offenses.

Reaffirming its commitment to national unity and youth development, the Arewa Youth Council distanced itself from any statements capable of inciting hate, promoting disunity, or undermining the peace and stability of Nigeria.

It also urged media houses to verify the authenticity of persons claiming to speak on behalf of national groups before publishing their statements.

“For accurate information and official updates, we urge the public to rely solely on communications issued by the duly recognized leadership of the Arewa Youth Council,” the group concluded.