BOKO HARAM: NORTHERN GOVS ASK FG TO IMPLEMENT FORUM’S RECOMMENDATION

The Northern State Governors’ Forum (NSGF)  has called on the Federal Government to deploy more security personnel with superior military equipment as well as adopt measures to boost their morale to enable them effectively fight the insurgents and other threats to security in the region.

Chairman of the forum and, governor of Niger state, Muazu  Aliyu, who was reacting to the killing on Saturday of 29 persons by unknown gunmen in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, also urged the military to review its counter-insurgency strategy to protect innocent citizens who are being killed daily by members of the Boko Haram.

“While we (Northern Governors) agreed in our last meeting in Kaduna to deal decisively with the fast growing security challenges being posed by the activities of cattle rearers, we call on the Federal Government to consider a national policy to settle nomads and provide adequate grazing reserves and cattle routes,” Governor Aliyu said in a statement.

The forum also reiterated its appeal to the federal government to “provide adequate funds to Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states afflicted with the problem of insurgency in order to address attendant issues.”

It hailed the military for restricting trans-border movements between Nigeria and Cameroon, urging security agencies to do all within their powers to halt the killing of innocent lives in the region.

The state governors also agreed to vigorously pursue employment and youth empowerment programmes as a way of taking idle youths off the streets.

The governors prayed God to grant repose to the souls of those who lost their lives in the fresh attack in Plateau State and also grant members of their families the fortitude to bear the loss.