Northern Elders Meet Over Boko Haram

Aliyu-25_2_12Berate Region’s Governors

‘Sect’s Activities Beyond Capacity Of A Disorganised Group’

A MEETING of prominent elders of the northern region of the country was convened yesterday in Abuja to address both political and security challenges currently facing the region.

The meeting, which was convened under the auspices of the Alhaji Sule Maitama Yusuf-led Arewa Citizens Action for Change, (ACAC) at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, attended by about 18 leading members of the Northern Elders Forum, according to the convener, deliberated on political and security issues facing the North, especially the Boko Haram crisis, which has continued to threaten the peace of the region.

In attendance at the meeting were two former heads of state, Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, Atiku Abubakar, Justice Mamman Nasir, former IGP Gambo Jimeta, Professor Ango Abdullahi, Ahaji Adamu Ciroma, Yusuf Maitama Sule, Sani Zango Daura, Adamu Fika, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu, Sale Hassan, Mohammed Bello Kurfi, Sule Katagum, Air Vice Marshal El Amin Dagash (rtd) Major General Paul Tarfa (rtd) and Senator John Wash Pam.

Earlier in a statement before the meeting, the group, which blamed Northern state governors for problems faced by the region, regretted that the North has drifted from its noble position the country to becoming the poorest and most backward of all the regions in Nigeria, despite been the largest in population and land mass.

The ACAC also regretted the region’s infrastructural neglect and moral contamination, adding that the situation has degenerated into a dangerous wide rift between the young and old generation, and leaders and followers of different religions.

The group said: “Today, the North is groaning under the weight of a disabling volume of poverty, hunger, illiteracy, hate, disease, distrust and of course every negative condition that makes life difficult for a people. Lately, these negative conditions have deteriorated into a regime of horrific daily bloodbath that has already devastated many Northern cities and is still on the rampage. It is sad to note that the recent ugly development is undermining monumental achievements and setting the once homogenous northern region in disarray with scattered groups pursuing separate and meaningless ideologies.

“At the risk of being misrepresented as endorsing the daily activities of the group generally believed to be responsible for the attacks– by whatever name it is called, we still insist that the situation is far beyond the capacity of a disorganised group of almajirai as the nation is wont to believe. Also blameworthy for the indifference, as the region burns, are the governors of the northern states who appear more engrossed in the business of self-perpetuation, power and wealth acquisition.”

Speaking after the four-hour meeting, Professor Ango Abdulahi said that the Elders’ deliberations on both the security and political challenges of the country has led to an agreement to set up two sub-committees on security and politics, to be chaired by Air Vice Marshal El Amin Dagash and Senator John Wash Pam respectively.