INSECURITY: Northern Leaders, Security Chiefs Meet Twice In 2 Weeks In Kaduna

Northern governors, traditional rulers and security chiefs have met to discuss measures to address the disturbing state of insecurity threatening the region’s peace.

The meeting, which is the second within the last two weeks, is ongoing in Kaduna and is expected to analyse the menace of insecurity and find solutions to address the challenge.

The leaders are also expected to take a hard and critical look at causes of conflicts and bandits attacks and come up with implementable means of addressing them.

In his opening remarks, Nasir El-Rufia, Kaduna State Governor, said the meeting was important given the rising cases of kidnappings in the region.

While stressing that the meeting was crucial for the progress of the region and country in general, El-Rufia urged his colleagues to adopt strategies to forestall all forms of security challenges in the north.

Similarly, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, who expressed regrets over the attacks and killings in the north, stated that it behoves on the governors and other leaders to find lasting solutions to the problem.

Speaking on the issue of herder-farmer clashes, Lalong agreed that open grazing was no longer sustainable for obvious reasons while asking that the Northern Governors Forum (NGF) keyed into the National Livestock Transformation Programme (NLTP).

Lalong said the programme was a veritable option that would bring a lasting end to the herder-farmer clashes.

The NGF further appealed to other colleagues across the country to be cautious of their utterances and actions, as unguided utterances could lead to exploitation of the nation’s fault lines to the detriment of the country and its citizens.

Those attending the meeting include governors of Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Kano, Katsina, Plateau, as well as the deputy Governors of Bauchi, Kogi, Zamfara, Benue, and Niger states.

Also in attendance is the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, the Inspector General of Police, the Minister of Information and Culture, and the Director-General State Security Services.

Others are traditional rulers led by the Sultan of Sokoto and representatives of the Northern Elders Forum.