Addressing his colleagues in Kaduna on Friday, the Chairman of the forum and Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, said, “One of such committees is that of the Attorney General and Commissioners for Justice of the 19 Northern States, which as mandated to critically examine the criminal offences like kidnapping, cattle rustling, deadly communal clashes and inciting religious preaching, which have not been adequately covered by the Panel Code.
“The committee as Your Excellencies may recall, was also charged with the responsibility of examining the activities of the so-called sponsors of terrorism as well as those who, for whatever reason, induce their children, especially young girls, to commit despicable crimes like suicide bombings; and suggest some form of statutory acceptable punishment.”
Another report to be deliberated in the meeting, he explained, was that of the challenges facing the region with a view to coming up with a common position to secure assistance from the Islamic Development Bank. “In our determined efforts to address these challenges in collaborative partnership with the Islamic Development Bank, I had the privilege to lead a top level delegation to the Headquarters of the bank in Jedda, Saudi Arabia, for special consultations with the management of the bank on possible ways of attracting their assistance in addressing some of the core challenges we, as a region, are facing.
“In reaction to our various presentations, the bank’s President, Dr Mohammed Ali had given us a strong indication of the IDB’s declared intention to initiate a comprehensive and constructive plan for the reconstruction of the Northern region. This according to him, entails possible intervention of the bank in human capital development, agriculture, poverty alleviation and improvement of infrastructural facilities, among others.”
He noted that the meeting would also deliberate on the report of the committee set up to determine the legal framework of the Northern States Governors’ Forum as an entity as well as the report of the committee on the New Nigerian Newspapers and update by NNDC are due for presentation.
The chairman explained that as part of deliberation in the meeting, an insightful and thorough review of the current security situation in the region, with specific reference to the Boko Haram insurgency, cattle rustling, the lingering deadly clashes between farmers and cattle rearers, as well as the intermittent incidents of armed banditry and kidnapping as factors confronting the corporate existence of the region.
Shettima expressed delight that the insurgency in the North East had been halted and the insurgents themselves completely subdued. “What remains now are few isolated pockets of suicide bombings which the recalcitrant remnants of the insurgents use as a last resort to attract attention and create unnecessary panic among the general population,” he added.
He expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for fulfilling his promise to bring the insurgency to a complete halt, stressing, “We also like to extend our sincere appreciation to our gallant military and other security agencies who, buoyed up by the President’s enthusiastic support and adequate and regular supply of the required military hardware and welfare incentives, were able to relentlessly pursue the insurgents and destroy their infrastructure, with the consequence that all the areas hitherto under their control or influence have been recaptured.
“We called on Mr President to ensure the full restoration of civil authority in the recaptured areas in order to pave way for the safe return of our IDPs. This undoubtedly entails the reconstruction and rehabilitation of public institutions and structures such as local government secretariats, police stations, prisons, hospitals and clinics as well as schools, all of which were either partially or completely destroyed by the insurgents.
“Subsequently, officers of the Nigerian police and those of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps could be deployed to maintain law and order and also stave off any intrusion into these communities. In this way, our IDPs would be conveniently repatriated back to their homes while our soldiers who are in charge of the recaptured areas could be deployed to continue with their onerous task of pursuing the insurgents until they are totally decimated.”
The Borno Governor commended his colleagues for conducting a biometric exercise in their respective civil service to determine the actual number of their workforce, with a view to, among other things, unlocking employment opportunities for thousands of our unemployed youths.
“This is no doubt symptomatic of your ardent determination to overcome the challenges associated with unemployment and at the same time it underlines our collective will to meet the legitimate expectations of our people,” he observed.
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