ACF’s panacea for insecurity in the North

Obviously worried by heightening insecurity in the North, particularly the Zamfara killings and Boko Haram insurgency in the North-west and North-east, respectively, the National Executive Council of the
Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) recently called on security agencies to do more by taking the war to the criminals. This is, without a
doubt, a pro-active, result-oriented and cost-effective mechanism and
consequently more desirable.

ACF, in a communiqué issued after its quarterly meeting in Kaduna penultimate Wednesday, said the criminals had made life unbearable
for many Nigerians. The communiqué, signed by ACF National Publicity Secretary, Muhammed Ibrahim Biu, said members discussed
exhaustively on the security challenges, especially kidnappings and killings of innocent people on the highways and frequent attacks on
communities in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, and Taraba states.

The meeting noted that the underlying causes of insecurities differ from one geo-political zone to another, hence the need for government
to consciously develop appropriate measures to contain the situation. The ACF called on the federal government to take drastic measures
to restore normalcy, peace and harmony in the affected states in order to assuage the fears of the people. It noted that in Zamfara state in
particular, the banditry has been most cruel and devastating to the
socio-economic and political life of the people.

“The council also notes with concern the most recent communal clashes between the Tiv and Jukun communities in Benue and Taraba
states, respectively, with attendant loss of lives and destruction of properties on both sides.

“The council condemned this unnecessary enmity between communities that have peacefully co-existed over the years and called
on the states affected to put in a peace building mechanism that will ensure harmony among the various groups.
“The council notes with concern the recent communal clash between Mada ethnic group and Fulani settlement in Akwanga local
government area of Nasarawa state and condemns such heinous crimes. It calls on the security agencies to fish out the perpetrators and
bring them to justice.

“Council also appeals to the communities to avoid using reprisal attacks as a way of addressing concerns, since such reprisals make
victims of those who know nothing about the feuds. It, therefore, appeals for due process in addressing such grievances among the
various communities,” the communiqué read.

The ACF also frowned at the issue of more than 10 million outof-school children in the North and noted with concern the increase
in the number of almajirai and children roaming the streets and the unfortunate attitude of state governors towards the development.
“This is an unfortunate development, council therefore appealed to the northern state governments to seriously address this out-of-school
children menace to avoid further escalation of insecurity and other vices that have bedeviled the North. Illiteracy, poverty and drug abuses
are a result of poor education and nonchalant attitude of our leaders to
good governance,” the ACF stated.

Although the concerns raised by the ACF are quite germane, it is pertinent to acknowledge the fact that the President Muhammadu
Buhari administration has in its nearly four years of existence concentrated its efforts on the tripartite issues of the fight against
corruption, insecurity and the revitalisation of the economy. As a matter of fact, these issues, which predated the administration, are the
pillars on which the Buhari government is anchored.

To the credit of the administration, the war against insecurity, particularly the Boko Haram insurgency, has taken the front burner
among the three pillars followed by the anti-graft war and the revival of the economy in that order. The result is that insecurity as exemplified
by the Boko Haram insurgency has been drastically reduced from its
pre-May 29, 2015, high when Buhari took over to a tolerable low
today.

Boko Haram, which has killed over 20,000 people and displaced 2.6 million people in a wave of attacks spanning over nine years, has been
decimated to a large extent. Its scope of operations has been narrowed to fewer states, its administrative base has been dispersed, its taunting
flags have been dismantled while its operatives have been harangued and disjointed. That more needs to be done to end the Boko Haram
menace does not detract from the fact that the Buhari government
deserves kudos for the feat so far achieved.

It is our considered view that the banditry and killings in most parts of the North should have attracted swifter and better response
from the respective state governments, as the chief security operatives. But their failure to act swiftly and decisively necessitated the federal
government’s intervention, resulting, to a large extent, in the return of normalcy.

In the case of the killings in Zamfara state, the federal government had to intervene by banning mining activities, which helped greatly in
improving the state of insecurity in the state. Nevertheless, we advise security agencies in the country to heed the admonition of the ACF to
wit, take the war to the criminals. And to the government at all levels: provide good governance.

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