The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) Wednesday admitted that the Northern Nigeria should rather blame its leaders more for the poor socio-economic state of the region, and not President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policies.
While noting that some of President Tinubu’s policies were unacceptable by the region, the group said the bulk of the blame over the poor state of the region should go to its leaders.
ACF Chairman Mamman Mike Osuman said this at the National Economic Committee (NEC) meeting of the organisation in Kaduna, Kaduna state.
He acknowledged a newly founded Northern group, League of Northern Democrats, which according to him, had some members of ACF as its new members, and advised that their well-thought out charities should begin at home in the North.
Osuman said: “I do admit that some policies of the current administration are repugnant and adverse to our interests as a Region. ACF believes that certain policies and behaviours of our own leaders within our Region need some critical evaluation
“It is in that vein that I raise the following questions; to what extent are our elected leaders demonstrating prudence and concern for our domestic and environmental problems, to what extent are our Governors and legislators synergizing with our traditional leaders in combating ills that exist within our Region, to the extent that some of our sons, daughters, sisters and brothers are sometimes criminis participis in the disquiet, ills and crimes that torment us in our region, what are we (Leaders of thought and stakeholders) doing towards arresting their evil trend and propensities?
“Have our parents, religious teachers and the elites initiated an orientation and public awareness that will educate our people on the need for self-defence and self-preservation? Illegal mining by foreigners aided by our own people exists in some states. What local strategies are on ground towards arresting this vice?
“It is not in doubt that the North is currently under siege. Our dear Region is not only being viciously attacked by bandits, terrorists and kidnappers but by sinister devices like disproportionate considerations and inequitable treatments.”
…New northern group
On the new northern group, the ACF leader said: “Not long ago, I received an invitation from a new body called the League of Northern Democrats. Attached to the invitation were seven (7) pages wherein were listed 260 names most of whom were former Governors, Senators and known great sons and daughters from the North. I have read the objectives of the League of Northern Democrats.
“I commend the conveners of the Meeting. I respect and appreciate their objectives which I must say, are not a deviation from that of ACF.
“Their cause is worthy. My view is that while they tinker with the overall political issues that threaten our survival in our Region, this still remains an auspicious time to look inwards.
“To avoid being misunderstood, the progenitors of this brilliant concept should organize symposia where current travails that depress and make lives unbearable in our Region are stultifying education and economic growth.
“I have taken pains to bear my mind here because (a) I, ACF Chairman was invited and (b) within the 260 listed members, are a few names of ACF members. Should their ultimate focus be for the year 2027, I humbly and respectfully recommend that their well thought out charities should begin now, and at home.”
“The new regenerated and rejuvenated ACF is resolved to serve our downtrodden brothers, sisters and parents who currently are on the receiving ends of evil men and women classified as bandits and murderers. We are also determined to ensure that they are respected and served.
“To that end, ACF must be their voice and the source of their confidence. It is in this vein that ACF has expanded its infrastructure to include an ACF Radio. We will through our ACF Radio constantly communicate not only our people but also speak to prospective benefactors and governments.
“Since my investiture as Chairman of ACF on 12th December 2023, my colleagues and I in ACF have witnessed a phenomenal growth in the quality and in its new number of distinguished sons and daughters from the North,” Osuman stated.
…Senate on Lakurawa
Meanwhile, the recent invasion of some communities in Sokoto and Kebbi states by a new terror group, Lakurawa, resonated in the Senate Wednesday with the lawmakers commending the military’s prompt response to the criminals’ actions.
Attention of the lawmakers to invasion of some communities in the affected states by the Lukarawa insurgents, followed the motion by Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP Kebbi North).
The motion was titled “Urgent Need for the Federal Government to take Stringent Measures to Stop the Infiltration of violent terrorists known as Lakurawa from Entrenching themselves in some North Western parts of Sokoto and Kebbi States.”
While alleging that the hoodlums were from neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali, the lawmaker specifically informed the Senate that the Lakurawa terrorists infiltrated the country through the Nigeria-Niger border at Illela, Tangaza and Silame local government areas of Sokoto state, from where, according to him, they attacked communities in Augie and Arewa LGAs of Kebbi state.
The violent gang of terrorists, the lawmaker further said, had raided and dispossessed these communities of their earnings, prior to the large-scale invasion of Mera, a village in Augie local government area November 8, 2024, killing more than 20 people and fleeing with their livestock, amounting to hundreds of millions of naira.
He, however, added that the Kebbi state government promptly responded by sending a delegation with relief materials to the affected villages and assistance to the families of the deceased.
Abdullahi also said he, alongside Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Senator Garba Musa Maidoki (Kebbi South), and some members of the House of Representatives from Kebbi state, visited the affected areas, to commiserate with victims of the attacks on behalf of the National Assembly.
“If timely, adequate and decisive measures are not taken, this group can spread its reign of terror to other Northern parts of the country and beyond,” he warned.
All the senators who spoke on the motion commended the prompt action taken by the military to curtail the spread of violent attacks by the insurgents.
In his contribution, Deputy President of the Senate Jibrin Barau said: “I stand in solidarity with the people of Kebbi state because this is a new dimension to the problem of insecurity in that area.
“It is sad that while our security agencies are working very hard to deal with the current situation that we have or the situation that was there before these people came into Kebbi State.
“This was how Boko Haram started. Those guys came from other parts of the world – different parts of the West Africa sub-region into Borno state. And the appropriate action was not taken at the right time. And so they got emboldened, and the rest is now history. So, the people of Borno State and the entire northern part of this country were badly affected.
“Now, we need to urge our security agencies to double their efforts. We know they are doing very well. They are putting their lives on the line, fighting for our safety, safeguarding us, and giving us security so we can sleep with our two eyes closed every night. So, we thank them. We appreciate what they are doing.
“But this is a new challenge. We urge them to do more. Already, they are doing very well. It’s a new dimension to the entire scenario we have in the state of Kebbi.”
…Resolutions
The Senate, accordingly, commended the military for sending immediate reinforcement of personnel to the area to restore peace and also to maintain presence in the area.
The lawmakers further directed the military to work with the communities and other security agencies, to set up early warning mechanisms to forestall further incursions.
They also urged the federal government “to send an assessment team to the affected areas to estimate the extent of damages and to determine the immediate relief needs of the affected families and observe one-minute silence in honour of the deceased community members killed in the wake of the terrorist incursion.”
…Akpabio remarks
In his remarks, President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio commended the Nigerian military for their prompt response to the insurgency and also urged them to maintain their vigilance in the affected communities to halt the activities of Lakurawa group from further spreading across the region.