NORTHERN elders yesterday rose from a three-day summit in Kano
Government House with far-reaching decisions, including a call on the Federal
Government to grant amnesty to Boko Haram sect members.
Government House with far-reaching decisions, including a call on the Federal
Government to grant amnesty to Boko Haram sect members.
They urged the government to initiate a restoration,
reformation and rehabilitation programme that would reintegrate demilitarised
Boko Haram sect members into the society.
reformation and rehabilitation programme that would reintegrate demilitarised
Boko Haram sect members into the society.
According to them, the type of amnesty that ended
militants’ unrest in the Niger Delta region would be suitable in the North.
militants’ unrest in the Niger Delta region would be suitable in the North.
The elders also identified widespread insecurity,
breakdown of the educational system, massive illiteracy and leadership failure
as part of the problems of the North.
breakdown of the educational system, massive illiteracy and leadership failure
as part of the problems of the North.
Specifically, they urged President Goodluck Jonathan to
dialogue with the sect and grant its members amnesty just as it was done for
restive youths in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
dialogue with the sect and grant its members amnesty just as it was done for
restive youths in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
As far as the elders were concerned, President Jonathan,
his deputy Namadi Sambo and the 10 Northern governors have not shown enough
sympathy for the states under the Boko Haram siege.
his deputy Namadi Sambo and the 10 Northern governors have not shown enough
sympathy for the states under the Boko Haram siege.
The positions of the elders were contained in a communiqué
issued after a three-day summit organised by Northern Development Focus
Initiative (NDFI) at the Kano Government House. The curtain dropped yesterday
on the summit.
issued after a three-day summit organised by Northern Development Focus
Initiative (NDFI) at the Kano Government House. The curtain dropped yesterday
on the summit.
They also advocated death penalty or life imprisonment for
indicted corrupt officials in both public and private sectors, recommending
that all stolen assets be forfeited to government.
indicted corrupt officials in both public and private sectors, recommending
that all stolen assets be forfeited to government.
Indicted public officials should be suspended from office
pending the outcome of investigation, they said.
pending the outcome of investigation, they said.
Signed by Alhaji Usman Farouk, a former governor of
Northwestern State and Dr. Sadiq Umar Abubakar, chairman and secretary of the
NDFI respectively, the communiqué reads: “Education has collapsed to the extent
that over 70 per cent of children of school-going age are not attending
school.”
Northwestern State and Dr. Sadiq Umar Abubakar, chairman and secretary of the
NDFI respectively, the communiqué reads: “Education has collapsed to the extent
that over 70 per cent of children of school-going age are not attending
school.”
The elders regretted the lack of avenues for gainful
employment for teeming youths and noted the concerns and fears of youths for
the survival of the region and that of the country.
employment for teeming youths and noted the concerns and fears of youths for
the survival of the region and that of the country.
They blamed rising insecurity and ethno-religious crises
on government’s failure to rise to the challenge.
on government’s failure to rise to the challenge.
According to the communiqué, attitudes of northern elite
and leaders, lack of synergy due to failure of elected representatives to
interface with the executive to develop new policies have been parts of the
problems bedeviling the North.
and leaders, lack of synergy due to failure of elected representatives to
interface with the executive to develop new policies have been parts of the
problems bedeviling the North.
It reads: “Northern states and the Federal Government
should institute compulsory and free education at the primary and secondary
school levels for all school-age children and introduce a free pupils feeding
programme like Kano State. Governors of the North should increase budgetary
allocation to the educational sector to 30 per cent.
should institute compulsory and free education at the primary and secondary
school levels for all school-age children and introduce a free pupils feeding
programme like Kano State. Governors of the North should increase budgetary
allocation to the educational sector to 30 per cent.
“Since security is the responsibility of the Federal
Government as enshrined in the Constitution of the Nigeria 1999, all the states
affected by security crises in the North should compute all monies expended by
them for re-imbursement by the Federal Government.
Government as enshrined in the Constitution of the Nigeria 1999, all the states
affected by security crises in the North should compute all monies expended by
them for re-imbursement by the Federal Government.
“A judicial commission of inquiry should be set-up to
establish the remote and immediate causes of ethno-religious conflicts and
prevalent insurgency.
establish the remote and immediate causes of ethno-religious conflicts and
prevalent insurgency.
“All persons identified to be involved in sponsoring,
benefitting or involved in all forms of terrorism and insurgency should be
prosecuted.
benefitting or involved in all forms of terrorism and insurgency should be
prosecuted.
“The Federal Government should set-up a Northern Nigeria
Restoration, Reformation and Rehabilitation programme to involve repentant Boko
Haram insurgents unconditionally and a special committee of respected northerners
should immediately embark on a sympathy and solidarity tour of all states
affected by insecurity in the North.”
Restoration, Reformation and Rehabilitation programme to involve repentant Boko
Haram insurgents unconditionally and a special committee of respected northerners
should immediately embark on a sympathy and solidarity tour of all states
affected by insecurity in the North.”
They also called for a master plan for agricultural
revival for the North so as to boost agriculture, create wealth, employment
opportunities and develop agro-allied industry.
revival for the North so as to boost agriculture, create wealth, employment
opportunities and develop agro-allied industry.
The summit, which had “Development, peace and unity, as a
tool for enhancing socio-economic and political reform in Northern Nigeria”, as
its theme, drew political actors in the North ranging from council officials to
federal legislators.
tool for enhancing socio-economic and political reform in Northern Nigeria”, as
its theme, drew political actors in the North ranging from council officials to
federal legislators.
The resource persons included former the former chairman
of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the presidential
candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the 2011 election, Mallam Nuhu
Ribadu, Sen. Victor Lar, former Director, of Defence Military Intelligence
(DMI), Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Sambo and public affairs analyst, Dr. Tilde.
of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the presidential
candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the 2011 election, Mallam Nuhu
Ribadu, Sen. Victor Lar, former Director, of Defence Military Intelligence
(DMI), Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Sambo and public affairs analyst, Dr. Tilde.
In attendance were: Niger State Governor and Chairman of
the Northern Governors’ Forum Babangida Aliyu, Gombe House of Assembly Speaker
and Chairman of the Northern Speakers’ Congress, former Borno State Governor
Muhammadu Goni, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Senator Danjuma Goje and Senator
Bukola Saraki.
the Northern Governors’ Forum Babangida Aliyu, Gombe House of Assembly Speaker
and Chairman of the Northern Speakers’ Congress, former Borno State Governor
Muhammadu Goni, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Senator Danjuma Goje and Senator
Bukola Saraki.
All the states in the North were also representated.
Source:
The Nation
The Nation
