Northern governors meet over Fulani herdsmen attacks
- 19 governors of the Northern Governors Forum met with Northern Emirs and chiefs on Jaunary 23
- The northern leaders meeting is focus on how to find a lasting solution to the continuous violence and incessant attacks by Fulani’s herdsmen in the region
- The governors are worried that the violence in the north has reduced the northern region to a laughing stock
All governors of the 19 northern states under the umbrella of the Northern Governors Forum met Today, January 23, with emirs, chiefs and other political leaders over the continuous violence of Fulani herdsmen and religious crises in the region.
The main purpose of the meeting, christened ‘An extraordinary meeting’ by the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and Governor of Borno State, Kassim Shettima, was to find a lasting solution to the security challenges and socio-economic problems confronting the northern region.
Shettima said poverty, persistent insecurity, occasioned by the deadly Boko Haram attacks, kidnap and other crimes, have reduced the north to a laughing stock of the world.
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Shettima said it was imperative to have the northern emirs and chiefs in attendance because they “are significant stakeholders in the affairs of the region.”
Shettima while declaring the meeting open, said the north, a once most thriving region, has been reduced to nothing, saying that “there is no gainsaying the fact that the North is now a poor, pathetic shadow of its former self.”
He noted that the region today has been badly affected by the deadly insurgency, rural armed banditry, cattle rustling, ethnic and religious conflicts, the underlying causes of which are poverty, illiteracy, social exclusivity and severely limited economic opportunities.
Shettima added: “A well endowed, promising geographic space which accounts for 70 per cent of Nigeria’s land mass, up to at least 60 per cent of its population, with huge solid minerals resources, with potentials for hydrocarbon resources, a growing mining industry, rich arable lands, a blossoming agro-industrial economy, Nigeria’s wealthiest region by GDP and the region with the brightest prospects for accelerated economic growth.
“In short, arguably Nigeria’s most thriving region, (North) has literally conspired against itself to be reduced to the laughing stock of the world.”
According to Punch, Shetimma said the regional monarchs, governors and political leaders must close ranks to end the persistent challenges.
The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Jama’atu Nasri Islam, Sa’ad Abubakar III, said traditional rulers in the region were disturbed with the use of places worship to preach hatred and violence.
He explained that the reason why the killings in the region continued unabated was because nobody was ever punished for the act (killing).
He said the traditional rulers were ready to support the governors on measures to be taken to end the continued killing in the region.
The Sultan said: “We at the Northern Traditional Rulers Council are very worried and sad with the situation of insecurity in the north, especially the happenings in Southern Kaduna, kidnapping, cattle rustling, the state of IDPs in the North East in particular and other parts of the country.
“We are more worried with the use of places of religious worship to preach hatred, violence and other issues that tend to divide us, rather than strengthen our unity as a people created by one God.
“We believe that one of the numerous reasons why violence continues to thrive in our midst is the impunity that is allowed to thrive in our midst. Nobody is punished for criminal doings they commit.”
He added: “We are therefore strongly supporting more measures taken and to be taken by governors of the Northern states, especially the Governor of Kaduna state.
“We must all strive to achieve lasting peace in the north in particular and the whole country in particular.”
Governors in attendance are: Nasir el-Rufai; Borno, Kassim Shettima; Adamawa, Sen. Muhammad Umaru Jubrilla; Kebbi, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; Jigawa, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar; Kano, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje; Niger, Abubakar Sani Bello; Plateau, Simon Lalong; Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal; and Taraba, Darius Ishaku.
Emirs and chiefs who attended the meeting include, Sultan of Sokoto, Shehu of Borno, Emir of Gwandu, Emir of Kano, Emir of Bauchi, Emir of Katsina, Emir of Zazzau, Etsu-Nupe, Attah of Igala, Emir of Zamfara, Emir of Lafiya.
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Meanwhile, Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in an meeting he had earlier with chiefs and Emirs of Kaduna communities stated three steps his government is taking to put a permanent stop to the ongoing violence in southern Kaduna.
The first step mentioned by El-Rufai is the state’s intention to prosecute anyone found culpable in the killing of innocent people or causing violence that leads to death of innocent people.
Source: Legit.ng
