President Muhammadu Buhari has affirmed that there would be no negotiations with bandits, noting that his administration would continue to deal decisively with insecurity challenges.
Buhari, who spoke through his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, also asked Nigerians to stop the ethnic profiling of criminals.
Buhari added that he had tasked the new service chiefs to device new strategies that would end the ugly situation where the lives of Nigerians were being threatened by hoodlums and criminals.
He said, “This meeting is coming at a time when the nation is making steady progress in addressing the many challenges impeding development and progress.
“We are providing critical infrastructures such as roads, railways, airports among which are critical to economic prosperity of our people as well as opening up economic opportunities for our citizens to pursue legitimate aspirations that grow the economy.
“At the same time, we are confronting the various dimensions of security challenges that continue to slow down the emancipation of our people from poverty and economic deprivation.
“The Government shall continue to deal with insurgents, bandits, kidnappers and other criminals constitute innocent threat citizens across the country.
“Criminals are criminals and should be dealt with accordingly without resorting to ethnic profiling.
“I have already tasked the new Service Chiefs to devise new strategies that will end this ugly situation where the lives of our people continue to be threatened by hoodlums and criminals.
“I expect that at this meeting, your Forum will also discuss and devise ways of building stronger collaboration with the security architecture and the people in defeating criminality across the region and the nation at last.
“It is pertinent to note that the increased realization of our security, democracy and development indices are inextricably linked. Democracy and the rule of law promote stability and in turn, reinforces the power to assert freedom and economic progress of our people.
“This thread of interconnection needs the support of the Northern State Governors Forum and the entire citizenry of the country as any amount of positive sacrifice would be beneficial in bringing about National development and security out nation.”
Buhari made these statements during a meeting of the Governors of the 19 Northern States, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, Director General of the Department of State Service, Yusuf Bichi, as well as the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, in Kaduna on Thursday.
In his opening remarks, the Plateau State Governor and Chairman of the NGF, Simon Lalong told his colleagues that statistics had shown that the region had a long way to go in terms of “education, healthcare delivery, infrastructural development, food security, industrialization and human capital development among others.”
He also lamented that the issue of insecurity has gravely affected the economy and food security jeopardised.
“That is why we have remained resolute in supporting and advising the Federal Government, collaborating with relevant security agencies and also using opportunities at our disposal to work for a more secured nation,” he added.
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, represented by the Deputy Speaker, Ahmad Wase on behalf of northern National Assembly lawmakers, said the National Assembly would collaborate with the North to see to the problem bedevilling the region and by extension the country.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State while addressing the gathering, stressed the need for peace for the development of the region and the country.
El-Rufai said, “we need enduring peace and security to ensure that our people can prosper and that our states can develop.
“Amidst the fears and despairs of the moment, we have a chance to offer hope and buoy up the spirit of our people.
“Our people are looking up to us for solutions. We need peace and security in the north and Nigeria.
“We must discharge our duty as leaders to them by collaborating across all divides to solve the challenges that confront our region and Nigeria.”
On his part, the Sultan of Sokoto, speaking on behalf of Northern Traditional Council, urged northerners to be patient with the regional governors.
Abubakar noted that the governors were trying to rebuild what had been destroyed in the north over a decade ago.
He also said the traditional council in the region would continue to defend the action of the governors.
The Sultan decried the almajiranci menace in the North which he claimed was poverty-driven.
