GOVERNORS of North East are advocating the use of heavy artillery for the Nigeria Police to bridge the manpower deficit in the armed forces. This was contained in an 11-point communique issued by the North-East Governors’ Forum at the end of its second meeting held in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The communique was read by the forum’s newly-elected chairman, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State.
Below is the full statement containing the demands of the North-East Governor’s Forum for heavy artillery by police:
“The executive governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states under the auspices of North East Governors’ Forum held its second meeting in Maiduguri, Borno State and discussed the challenges facing the sub-region and resolved to issue the following communiqué: “The forum commends the effort of the Federal Government in fighting the 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 to ensure the deployment of state of the art military hardware (heavy artillery)to the region.
“The forum recommends that the manpower deficit in the Nigerian armed forces should be bridged by allowing the police to carry state of the art weapons where necessary and be provided with strategic equipment like high-velocity tear gas, trackers and Armoured 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 potential, mineral resources, agriculture and industrialisation.
“The forum called on the Federal Government to revoke selected roads 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 programmes of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) 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 a comprehensive strategic master plan for the region that will ensure sustainable development.
“The forum affirmed its commitment to support the Federal Government agenda of transforming the Almajirai system with a view to strengthening both Islamic and western education as well as stopping street begging and prevalence of out of school children in the region as agreed by the northern governors.”
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