Northern govs set up 41-man panel to tackle Boko Haram

TIRED of incessant bombings in the North, the 19 governors in the region have set up a 41-man committee to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency.

The main term of reference of the Committee “is to engender the restoration of the most desired peaceful co-existence, unity and development in the entire region”.

The Committee will be inaugurated on Wednesday, August 22 at Niger State Governor’s Lodge,  Abuja at 11 a.m.

Members of the panel are Ambassador Zakari Ibrahim, Prof. Tijani El-Miskin, Prof. Shedrack Best,  Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, Prof. Habu Galadima, AIG Hamisu Ali Jos (rtd), Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd),  Prof. Muhammad Akaro Mainoma, Hajiya Dije Bala, Maj. Gen. Yakubu Usman (rtd),   Prof. Sani Abdulkadir,  AVM Mukhtar Mohammed (rtd),  Justice Umaru Abdullahi,  Hajia Mariam Uwais,  Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa,  Group Capt. Bilal Bulama  (rtd),  Col Musa Shehu (rtd), Iliya Ithuve,  Ali M. Dandiya,  Gen. GP Zidon (rtd) and Justice Usman Baba Liman.

Others are Sheikh Mohammed Isa Talata Mafara,  Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah,  Karibullah Nasiru Kabara,  Sheikh Yusuf Sambo Rigachikun,  Sheikh Ahmed Lemu,  Bishop Michael E. Apochi, Imam Goni Mohammed Gabcha,  Imam Salman Aboki A. Ankpa,  Bishop Buba Lammido Wusasa, Rev. Kalla Abari, HRH, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, the Emir of Ilorin, Kwara, HRH, Alhaji Zaiyanu Abdullahi, the Emir of Yauri, Kebbi, HRH, Dr. Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, the Lamido of Adamawa, Adamawa,
HRH, Nde Joshua Y. Dimlong Ngolong Ngas, Plateau, Dr. Kole Shettima MacArthur Foundation, Nigeria, Dr. Shettima Ali, Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation, Mrs. Aisha Oyebode, Murtala Mohammed Foundation, Dr. (Mrs.) Nguyan Feese, ESSPIN, Nigeria, Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi WRAPA, Abuja and Sister Kathleen McGarvey, Inter-Faith Council, Kaduna.  

  A statement signed by Daniel C. Shashere, Secretary to the Government of Niger State and Chairman, Forum of Secretaries to the Government of Northern States, reads: “The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has left no one in doubt about its concern for the general welfare of the people in its areas of jurisdiction. Therefore, it has made several attempts to address the unabated security challenge confronting the region which has not only led to massive loss of lives and properties but has also severely altered the harmonious community relations established and nurtured over several decades, among the peace-loving peoples of the region. 

“The negative consequences of insecurity for freedom, liberties and the thriving economic activities within the Northern States are very serious. It is in recognition and total concern for the hard-earned national peace and harmony of our great country, Nigeria that the Forum decided at its meeting held on Thursday July 26, 2012 to constitute a high-powered committee to handle issues bordering on reconciliation, healing, peace and security within the troubled areas across the Northern States of the Federation. 

“The Committee comprises very eminent personalities from diverse backgrounds, with the mandate to fashion out strategies to address the disturbing state of insecurity, and proffer practical and enduring solutions to the Forum.

“The Committee will be inaugurated on Wednesday August 22, 2012 at Niger State Governor’s Lodge, No 22, Jose Martin Crescent, Asokoro, Abuja at 11:00 am prompt”.
Meanwhile, there was an  indication of a crack yesterday in the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the North over call on President Goodluck Jonathan to resign for saying that he could not crush Boko Haram.

The body said it was shocked  by the President’s statement that he could not handle the sect because “they are our siblings and you cannot set the army to wipe out your family".
The spokesman of the body, Mr. Sunday Oibe, had said: "So, the President is not bothered about the killing of Christians and other Nigerians! Is it because Christians are not members of this family he is talking about? So, the security agents who are being killed by the Boko Haram are not members of this family?

"Jonathan has failed us Christians, he has failed Nigerians and he should resign as President because by this statement, it is very clear that he is not capable of handling the danger posed by the Boko Haram insurgency.”

Also, at the weekend during  the daily Ramadan Tafsir (preaching) at the Sultan Bello Mosque, Kaduna, a renowned Islamic scholar, Shiekh Ahmed Gumi, made a similar call by asking the President  to resign for allegedly staining his hands with “so much innocent blood.”

He had accused the President of not doing enough to stop the killings of both Christians and Muslims in the country, alleging that even when the President was presented with documents to act on, he did not do anything.

“Jonathan’s government can not continue to rule with bloods in its hands. There are so many documents given to President Jonathan for him to act on in regards to the killings of innocent people in both Mosques and Churches but he has refused to do anything,” he said.

But yesterday, Special Adviser to Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State on Religious Matters, Reverend Joseph Hayab, cautioned religious leaders in the country on utterances  that could cause disaffection.

He said that the statement urging the President to resign was capable of inciting  Northerners and specially Christians against the Jonathan Administration.

Hayab, a former Secretary-General of the Kaduna branch of  CAN, said in the statement: “I read the alarming news headlines in various newspapers and especially in Leadership alleging that the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states of the federation expressed disappointment in the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, over his handling of the Boko Haram insurgency, and also on the front page of NNN where Sheik Gumi is calling on President Goodluck to resign.

“Let me quickly state that as a former Secretary  of CAN,  Kaduna State and  also a former PRO of CAN, 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory and in my personal capacity as Special Adviser to the Kaduna State Governor on Religious Matters, that nothing could be further from the truth than these alarming headlines which are calculated to incite Northerners and especially Christians against the Jonathan Administration.

“To begin with, let us start with the Latin maxim Cui Bono (who benefits?). Northerners and the Christians populace do not benefit from the careless statement released by Oibe and Gumi. Recent statements by these duo has not only heat up the polity but has created serious friction between followers.

“Back to the question of who benefits, I would like to draw the attention of the public to 1 Timothy 6:5 which talks of  "constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain".

“Most statements by these two do not represent reasonable minds in the North, be they Muslim or Christians, but are always politically motivated and sponsored.

“Members of the public should note that for these two to issue their statements on the same day is only a grand strategy to make gullible Nigerians think Christians and Muslims are fighting this Administration, or do they want us to believe it is a  coincidence? Only a fool would believe that. Of recent, there has been hyperactivity amongst disgruntled politicians who covet the presidential seat and just then, this strange statement comes out. It is the hand of Esau but the voice of Jacob.

“But be that as it may, may I ask those who have procured this statement where they were when some persons of vile minds were activating terror with words, warning of making the country "ungovernable" or of impending "bloodshed" should their political ambitions not be realised or is this Sheik Gumi's way of appeasing Boko Haram for their threat against him?

“Northern CAN has no quarrel with the statement from President Jonathan that it would not be the preference of the Federal Government to send in soldiers to wipe out Boko Haram for the simple reason that Boko Haram are faceless and when soldiers are sent in to wipe out a faceless group, it is the innocent that suffers.

“We would rather the administration focus on an intelligence driven covert operations that would target Boko Haram with precision which is in line with biblical principles which provides in Proverbs 15:22 that "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed".

“I note that it was wise counsel and covert intelligence that led to the capture of Abu qaka, Kabiru Sokoto and the killing of Habib Bama and many other
“I call on the Federal Government and the Nigerian people to be alert and refuse to be pressured into taking actions that would pit Muslims against Christians which is what would happen if soldiers are sent in to level communities without taking into account that the innocent would be killed with the guilty. We note that when this happens, some of those now setting up such a catastrophe would be the first to condemn the government.” 

In Abuja, Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State submitted that the insecurity in the country has changed the focus of the nation's budget implementation. 

Suswan said that government is more concerned in acquiring security gadgets rather than providing infrastructures. 

He described the growing insecurity in the country and poor outing at the just concluded 2012 London Olympics as signs of national decline.  

The Benue State governor spoke through his Special Adviser on Ethics and Religion, Mr. David Agada at the 2nd National Peace and Unity Conference in Abuja.  

According to the governor, government is now investing heavily on security gadgets at the expense of poverty, diseases and unemployment.  

"Instead of fighting our enemies which are ignorance, poverty, diseases, hunger, illiteracy, unemployment among several others, we are fighting one another. Instead of investing our resources in infrastructure provision and other spheres of development, we are investing in security gadgets as well as peace efforts. 

"The signs of national decline are there for us to see. We are doing very badly in sports as was evident at the London Olympics 2012 and other recent international competitions.
"Even, our image at the international level has plummeted and we are fast becoming a pariah nation. Life expectancy is going downwards in the country, epidemics are on the increase, and our educational calendar suffers innumerable hiccups. 

"Equally, our politics is full of violence and corruption has become an untamed monster. What kind of future are we then bequeathing to our children. How do we overcome this ugly situation?"   

As a way forward, he pushed for a public hearing where all those aggrieved would discuss frankly to restore peace and security in the country.  

Speaking at the occasion, former FCT Minister and Chairman, National Council for Peace and Unity,  Muhammed Abba-Gana, suggested that Lagos, Abia and Edo states should be emulated to tackle the issue of Boko Haram.  

According to him, how Lagos State was able to handle the issues of OPC militants and Area Boys and how Abia State tackled the Bakassi Boys should be studied and emulated to ensure peace in the country.  

He said on Edo: "There is no greater threat to peace, unity and security than allowing unhonourable and unconvincing electoral victory to stand. Therefore, the Edo State Governorship Election of July 14, 2012 is an example to uphold or emulate by all levels of government. 

"So, the easiest and surest way to achieve sustainable peace, unity and security in our country is that all of us and our relevant institutions must ensure rule of law, free and fair elections, ensure that people are governed by the leaders they like, trust and voted for in the relevant elections. No other way," he stated.

In Akwa Ibom State, Governor Godswill Akpabio said that the current security challenges in the country can best be solved if the Federal Government allowed states to have and control their police force.

Fielding questions from journalists in Uyo, Akpabio said: ''The state police is a solution to resolving most of the intra-conflicts in the country.

''If Kogi State had the state police, Boko Haram probably would not have reached the state. In Niger Delta, kidnapping would not have reached the level it had reached at that time because the indigenes that would make up the force know the criminals among them and would fish them out. Every family knows who is who. That is why I say state police remains the answer. 

''In most developed democracy, policing is not a federal thing alone. In Abuja, policing 160 million is not possible. You must allow the local government to have its say in policing. The State Government should have its say and then, the Federal Government to have its own say in policing. Outside this country, we have federal parastastal, state parastatal and municipal parastatal. These things are found in the country.

''We must empower  states to have the capacity to fight crimes because when you are depending on federal forces to assist you to fight crimes, and if they are inadequate, automatically the criminals would overwhelm you. If you post 1,000 policemen to your state and you have 5,000 criminals, they would overwhelm the policemen''. 

On  revenue allocation, the governor called for a reduction of the monthly federal revenue allocation and the amount given to states and local governments  in the country with more responsibilities to enable them to undertake and complete many development projects. 

He recalled that during the Economic Summit he attended in United States (U.S.) recently, the organisers brought investors from Europe, Middle East, U.S., United Kingdom and Canada, among others who made different presentations with the Nigerian Ambassador to Canada, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, serving as Chairman of the occasion.

''We had presentations from people who are coming into power sector. We had one registered company called 'Ikot Abasi Power Generation Plant' and they made a presentation. And we also have a group  interested in building a refinery, a group  interested in seaport construction. Some of the people who came were actually interested in the agro-allied industry. Some interested in revamping the agricultural sector.

''So, for us, it was an eye opener yet indeed Nigeria was seen as an attractive destination despite  the various challenges we are having today in the country. I think that if we can have an atmosphere of peace pervading the entire country, more investors would come and the fortunes of our children would be turned around. In terms of wealth creation, I think definitely something would come out of the economic summit''.

Meanwhile, Boko Haram denied yesterday that 20 of its fighters were killed in a raid by security forces in Maiduguri, Borno State on Sunday, saying all those killed were civilians.
A security officer said a mixed military and police force, tipped off about a Boko Haram meeting on Sunday, had been fired on when they approached the site and killed 20 "terrorists" for the loss of one soldier in the ensuing shootout.

Boko Haram spokesman, Abu Qaqa, told a teleconference for journalists in Maiduguri, capital of Borno State and the sect's heartland, that his fighters had not been meeting at the place where the military said it killed them.

"They only succeeded in killing civilians," Qaqa said. "Twenty of us cannot risk sitting in a volatile place to hold a meeting ... It is not possible."

Source: Compass