When northern youths endorsed service chiefs

OLAKUNLE MARUF writes on the recent meeting, in Kaduna, of a northern youth organisation where it resolved that the solution to the insecurity challenges facing the country lies not in the removal of the service chiefs.

The issue of insecurity in the polity, especially as it affects the northern part of the country, has been a major talking point among the varieties of challenges facing the region. The unending discourse on the malaise has reached a crescendo, even as not only governments at all levels, but also groups and individuals are coming out to offer suggestions on the best approach or method that could be adopted to put an end to the scourge.

As it is with the other regions of the country, the need to put an end to the perennial problem of insecurity led a group in the North, named “Northern Coalition for Peace and Development” and other stakeholders in the region to come together, last week, to discuss and chart a pathway and offer solution to the insecurity in the country at large.

However, the coalition was totally against some individuals and groups, including Arewa leaders and other social-cultural groups such as Afenifere, Ohanaeze and the Middle Belt Forum, among others, who heaped the blame of the increasing spate of insecurity in the land on the alleged ineffective and inefficient law enforcement agencies. Those who belong to this school of thought have persistently been calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately relieve the service chiefs of their jobs.

The Northern Coalition for Peace and Development, in a statement signed by its national secretary, Attahiru Adamu, after a meeting in Kaduna condemned the strident calls for the sack of service chiefs alleging that some sections of the country, as the promoters. It was not convinced that such calls were in the national interest. The group, instead, called on the government at all levels to look inward and adopt the initiative by Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State as a means of bringing back peace to the troubled parts of the country. To the group, the initiative by the governor in entering into a peace treaty with bandits remained the best way to ensure security.

Condemning the calls, the group said: “Majority of those calling for the sack of the service chiefs are not sincere, as they failed to offer reasonable alternative before now to Mr President on how to tackle issues of security and proffer the way forward on other challenges facing our country. We reject their calls in totality, as they are only seeking the dismissal of the service chiefs in order to ensure the appointment of those they can push or manipulate around to do their bidding at the expense of collective interest of other Nigerians.”

The group also asserted that the alleged politicisation of security issues by some individuals and groups was dangerous and posed a serious threat to national security. It therefore called on the people to support the Federal Government. It said: “There is an urgent need for all Nigerians to unite and support the efforts of both the federal and state governments towards fighting crimes such as insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery, among others, within the corridor of their homes so as to bring about a lasting peace and cohesion among us.

“Arewa youths are encouraged by the progress that the police, military and other security agencies have made through collaboration with some state governors to tackle the issue of security challenges. One of the typical examples of such is the initiative done and that change the narratives by the personal and official efforts of Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle. Matawalle has made the state safer than it was during the past administration. Within his first few months in office, he brought his colleagues in Sokoto, Katsina to accept the roadmap of entering into accord with bandits in exchange for peace in their states. Suffice to state that, with the commitment, support and goodwill, this issue of banditry, kidnapping and other crimes in the aforementioned states has been reduced or eradicated completely.”

The group called on Mr President to immediately arrest and prosecute anyone caught fomenting or promoting insecurity in the country, irrespective of their position or class. It said: “We urged Mr President to order for the arrest and prosecution of any person hiding under the umbrella of any political party caught sponsoring thuggery, incitement and mischief against national security, no matter how powerful or close he might be to the presidency.

“These include those undermining the security of their states by hiring thugs or intimidating others with nefarious activities of rallies, political gathering, use of religious group and abusive through uncouth language, to foment trouble in order to achieve political sympathy. It is with dismay and concern over reports of certain group of politicians in the North who are becoming so desperate in their motives of creating tension, political intolerance, crisis and use of thuggery in their states to score cheap political goals.”

While passing a vote of confidence in the service chiefs for what it described as their efforts and assurance of combating menace of insecurity, not only in the region but the entire country, the group prayed for their success toward bringing lasting peace to the country. It called on all Nigerians, irrespective of their political lineage to support the service chiefs by contributing to the unity, political cohesion and peace among all Nigerians.

It further commend the efforts of the governors of Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina states for their roles in achieving effective resolutions by way of reconciliation and peace accord with the bandits, which it said was a form of remedy to the issue of insecurity in the three states. “Such actions have meritoriously brought a relative peace among people in different parts of their states. We call on the presidency to create an environment of synergy with these governors and put it on trial for life,” the group added.

Commending President Buhari for his commitment towards bringing lasting peace and improvement of security among Nigerians, group urged him to organise a special summit where he will meet with the northern governors, retired security officers, political leaders, traditional, community and religious leaders from some of the states facing security challenges. Doing this, the group claimed, would help the president to get sincere and informed opinion of these stakeholders and leaders in quest by the Buhari administration to take a decisive action against insecurity the security challenges facing the country.