Northerners urged to shun political, religion difference

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has called on northerners to unite and collectively address the issues of banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and farmers/herders clashes, which have significantly hindered the socio-economic development of the region.

The CNG emphasized the need for northerners to set aside political and religious differences to effectively combat these challenges.

In addition, the CNG appealed to the Federal Government to urgently commence the rehabilitation, resettlement, and reintegration of all displaced communities throughout the northern region.

This call highlights the pressing need for comprehensive measures to restore stability and foster development in areas severely affected by insecurity.

The group’s plea underscores the importance of cohesive efforts to address the root causes of violence and ensure the well-being of all northern communities.

According to the communique read on Friday, by CNG National Coordinator, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, stated that “collective efforts will be geared in fighting kidnapping, armed banditry, farmer-herders conflict, cattle rustling, criminal abduction for ransom, ethno-religious tensions, stigmatization, out-of-school children, youth restiveness, political thuggery, and drug abuse among other crimes in the North.”

However, the CNG, made called in a communique issued at the end of its stakeholders’ engagement with northern artists, social media Influencers and bloggers towards addressing insecurity in the region held at R&K Guest Palace hotel, Kano,

Comrade Charanchi said that “Rising from the meeting, the stakeholders, unanimously urged, “the federal government in particular, to reactivate the well-designed and people-friendly program of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and reintegration of all displaced communities throughout the region.”

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The association, therefore, stressed the need for forging close ties and strong synergy, between and amongst all the three tiers of government, in order to effectively tackle the insecurity menace ravaging the region.

“After a detailed review of the recent successes achieved by the security forces in the ongoing fight against the armed bandits, the Interactive Session strongly emphasised the importance of deploying robust and adequate usage of the non-kinetic approach, with a view to mobilizing the participation of the whole of society in the war against the lingering insecurity challenges.

The CNG hinted that “Participants equally expressed the firm view, that, in line with international best practice, it is widely expected, that governments at levels must rise up to the challenge of providing tangible support and meaningful assistance to the devastated communities to facilitate their speedy recovery.”

Comrade Charanchi also added in “The communique added that, “participants agreed to partner and explore every means towards changing the narrative in addressing the security challenges facing the region, from negative to positive narratives so as to dissuade the law-abiding public from participating in the prevailing social vices.”

The body then appealed to governments at all levels to create a conducive climate aimed at fostering Community Dialogue and peace-building with a view to the full restoration of security, industrial growth and prosperity in the northern region and the nation as a whole.

The communique further stated that “efforts will be geared to educate the citizens on how to support the governments at all levels towards promoting good governance and addressing societal challenges that will usher in sustainable growth and development.

“Participants also resolved to use the partnership as a platform to change the mindset of Northern youths, in order to engage them in productive ventures and to avoid any form of involvement in restiveness and criminality, and to call on well-meaning individuals to support this initiative.

However, the “Participants reaffirmed their determination to develop narratives that will encourage state governors to look inwards towards harnessing the potentials of the region especially, modern Agriculture, Small-Scale Businesses, that will assist people of the region to get out of the current socio-economic challenges.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE