Northern Govs Beg FG to Equip Military, Others to Deal with Insecurity in Zone

North East governors weekend pleaded with the Federal Government to adequately equip the military and other security agencies battling insurgency and other violent crimes in the zone.

Their plea came at a time President Muhammadu Buhari sought the support of traditional rulers in the country in efforts to contain the restive security situation in Nigeria.

This is even as chairman of the Senate Committee on anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Suleiman Abdu Kwari, who represents Kaduna North on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, urged security agents to raise their game in efforts to contain the killings in the area.

In the same vein, Senator Shehu Sani urged President Buhari to meet with leaders and elders of Southern Kaduna over the incessant killings in the area, with a view to finding a permanent solution to the problem.

He also called on security operatives to, as matter of urgency, tackle the issue of senseless killings in the southern part of the state.

Rising from a meeting in Maiduguri, the governors, under the aegis of North East Governors’ Forum, NEGF, said in a communique issued at the end of the meeting, that government must quickly equip the security operatives, to enable them adequately battle the Boko Haram problem in the zone.

According to them, this is the only way the government can deal with the insurgency problem and pave way for safe access to farmlands by millions of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs.

The communique read by the chairman of the Forum and governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, read: “The Forum commends the effort of the Federal Government of Nigeria in fighting insurgency.

However, the Armed Forces should intensify effort to secure hard-to-reach areas in the region and ensure safe access to farmlands. “The Forum called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to ensure the deployment of state-of-the-art military hardware to the region.

“The Forum recommends that the manpower deficit in the Nigerian Armed Forces are bridged by allowing the Police to carry state-of-the-art weapons where necessary and be provided with strategic equipment, such as high velocity tear gas, trackers, and Armored Personnel Carriers, APC.

“The Forum calls on the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to ensure that attention is given to recharging the Lake Chad from National water bodies and strengthen the river basins in the sub-region.

“The Forum pledges to work together to foster regional integration, growth, and development, especially in exploitation of its oil and gas potentials, mineral resources, agriculture, and industrialization.

“The Forum called on the Federal Government to revoke selected road contracts awarded by Federal Ministry of Works for years without progress and re-award same to more competent contractors and fund to ensure timely execution “The Forum urged the Federal Government to ensure local content in the execution of the Mambila Hydro Electric Power Project and other programs of the North East Development Commission to ensure synergy with state governments.

“The Forum supports the management and Board of the North East Development Commission and agreed to work together in producing comprehensive strategic Master Plan for the region that will ensure sustainable development.”

Present at the meeting were governors of Bauchi, Bala Mohammed; Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe; Ahmadu Fintiri, Adamawa; and Professor Babagana Zulum, Borno, while governors of Taraba and Yobe, Darius Ishaku and Mai Mala Buni, were represented by their deputies. Also at the weekend, President Buhari canvassed support of traditional leaders to stem insecurity in the country.

The President, who made the call at the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar acknowledged that traditional and religious institutions have contributed to the sustenance of peace in the nation.

Buhari was presented by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, who led the Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Dingyadi, and the Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Adamu, to the wedding Fatiha of the children of the families of Amb Shehu Malami and Late Alhaji Musa Abubakar.

Malami was quoted in a statement signed by his media aide, Dr. Umar Gwandu, said: “Mr. President has directed us to express gratitude to you for all the support you have been extending to his government, specifically on security matters and other associated social ills that have been bedeviling this country of ours.”

While conveying the felicitations of the President to the Sultan on the wedding, Malami further stated that President Buhari also appreciated the monarch’s contribution towards the attainment of peace in the country. In his remarks, the Sultan said: “We will continue to do our best to see that peace, stability, and development reign in Nigeria.”

Also, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Anti-corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Suleiman Abdu Kwari, APC, Kaduna North, has called on security operatives to urgently tackle the issue of senseless killings in the Southern Kaduna.

In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, Kwari said: “I sympathize with families of innocent victims who were killed in the senseless attacks and those whose properties were destroyed.

”I, however, urge leaders of Southern Kaduna to join hands with the state government as well as security operatives to tackle the menace.”

Similarly, Senator Shehu Sani asked President Buhari to meet the leaders and elders of Southern Kaduna, if the killings in the area must be checked, saying: “For the President to actually know what is happening in Southern Kaduna and find a lasting solution to the bloodshed there, he should listen and discuss directly with the leaders and elders of Southern Kaduna.”

Meanwhile, Kaduna State chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has declared one month of continued prayers against perpetrators of killings in Southern Kaduna.

Chairman of the chapter, Rev John Hayab said it would enable God to expose whoever was behind the killings in Kaduna State and Southern Kaduna.

President of   Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, SOKAPU, Hon. Jonathan Asake, said the killings must not be given political coloration but condemned as a crime against humanity.

He, however, thanked the church for standing with them in prayers. He called on Christian leaders with specific mention of Bishop David Oyedepo, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Pastor Dr. Paul Enenche, and many others to speak up and not keep quite against the killings.

The President of the United Church of Christ in Nigeria (HEKAN), Rev. Amos G. Kiri who took his reading from Psalms 46 vs 1- 11 charged to raise their voices to God in prayers.

“Any government that is not worried about the well-being of her citizens does not deserve to be called a government.

“Insensitive government and leaders must wake up from their slumber, government must listen to our cry, the killings in Southern Kaduna must stop, enough is enough and what is good for the goose should be good for the gander,” he said.

President of   Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, SOKAPU, Hon. Jonathan Asake, said the killings must not be given political coloration but condemned as a crime against humanity. He, however, thanked the church for standing with them in prayers.

Ayooluwa Joshua