Governor Yahaya Bello
M. Peter – Jos
Governors in the 19 Northern States have set up a standing committee on security in the region with a view to foster synergy between security agencies in the enforcement of security measures which will curb the rising rate of insecurity in the region.
The decision to set up the committee which is to be headed by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State was arrived at during a regional meeting held on Thursday via teleconference to discuss ways of tackling insecurity and other menace plaguing the region.
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The Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong presided over the meeting where it was also agreed for the engagement of local vigilantes, hunters, and community watch groups in the security architecture of the region in order to foster intelligence gathering, rapid response and sustained surveillance.
Lalong’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Makut Macham who issued a statement on Friday highlighting discussion in the meeting said the Governors also called on the Federal Government to closely look into the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of persons as it relates to the cross-border movement of herders from other countries into Nigeria, particularly the North.
The statement reads in part, “Worried by the challenge of insecurity in the country, the Northern Governors Forum met on Thursday 18th June 2020 to review the security situation in the Northern Region.
The meeting conducted via teleconferencing was presided over by Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong. The Governors expressed concern over the level of insecurity in the region and took certain decisions to contain the situation.
“They agreed to set up a standing Committee on security in the North which will foster synergy between security agencies in the enforcement of security measures in the region. The Committee to be headed by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has Governors of Zamfara and Gombe as members. They also set up another Committee headed by Governor Simon Lalong on consultation with Traditional, Religious and Community leaders in the North with a view to ensuring that there is wider involvement in tackling insecurity in the region.
“The Committee has Governors of Adamawa, Niger, and Sokoto as members. Another decision reached by the Governors is the engagement of local vigilantes, hunters, and community watch groups in the security architecture of the region in order to foster intelligence gathering, rapid response and sustained surveillance. The Northern Governors also called on the Federal Government to closely look into the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of persons as it relates to the cross-border movement of herders from other countries into Nigeria, particularly the North.
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“While commending the Nigerian security forces for their efforts in tackling insecurity in the region so far, they called for increased synergy which will further enhance their operations and assist in putting an end to the activities of bandits, insurgents, kidnappers and other criminals. They also agreed to adopt dialogue where necessary while pursuing military measures in dealing with the various security challenges in the region. While sympathizing with victims of the various attacks and other forms of criminality in the region, the Northern Governors also appealed for calm by groups and those affected as both the Forum, individual State Governments and the Federal Government are working together to ensure that this ugly situation is brought under control immediately, as well as addressing the humanitarian needs of the victims.”
The Governors also want the Federal Government to accelerate the Livestock Transformation Plan which will assist in creating jobs among farmers and herders in the region and the country at large and commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his efforts to deal with the security situation in the country and the region.
