The Northern Elders Forum, NEF, has lambasted the President Muhammadu
Buhari-led administration, stressing that the current insecurity in the
North showcases leadership failure and irresponsibility of governance.
Speaking to newsmen after the forum’s meeting in Zaria, the NEF
Chairman, Prof. Ango Abdullahi called on President Muhammadu Buhari to
demonstrate higher level of concern and sensitivity to the plight of
traumatised citizens, especially in Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Benue,
Niger, Plateau and Taraba States.
Apart from the Presidency, the NEF also slammed other tiers of
government for failing to address and arrest the abject poverty and
under-development in the country.
It said Nigeria has the resources and ideas but lacks the political will to tackle the problems.
According to Abdullahi, “There is serious irresponsibility of
governance in the country, especially in the North; the leadership is
not doing enough to meet up the challenges of poverty and
under-development.
“We also demand a decisive, comprehensive and fundamental government
actions against poverty, underdevelopment and insecurity affecting North
as well as show leadership and compassion which are reciprocal
expectation of the Nigerian people.”
NEF said recent report of an international organisation revealed that
90 per cent of the over 13.5 million children out-of-school in the
country were from the North.
It added, “The children will be adult in the next 10 years; no
education, no vocational training, what do you expect then? Insecurity
situation.”
Abdullahi expressed sadness that instead of development, northern
states were living under horrendous Boko Haram threats, banditry,
kidnapping, armed robbery, marauding youth gangs, herders and farmers
clashes.
“It has become imperative for the forum to call President Muhammadu
Buhari to respond to threats faced by northern Nigerians following
incessant killings in some states,” he observed.
