The Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation has said it is partnering with some key northern groups to evolve a security master plan that would reverse the challenges faced by the northern region. Chairman of the Foundation and former governor of Niger state, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu, made the disclosure to Blueprint in Kaduna. Aliyu said the region’s insecurity had become overwhelming but noted that the Foundation would do whatever it takes within the law to ensure that the issues are addressed. “We are now relating with Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Northern Elders Forum (NEF), the Northern Traditional Rulers, and other key stakeholders to bring what is called a master plan to northern states.’
’ According to chairman, the foundation has been consulting with the Northern Governors Forum (NGF), on what will be the best way forward for the states.
“And help in making sure that the society is not only secured but making sure that it became more developed,’’ he said. On the position of traditional rulers on security issues, the chairman told NAN that they had not been properly utilised. “The position of the traditional rulers has not been utilised properly; we need to bring them in tandem with the security apparatus. “If you look at the emirates for example, the emir is at the top with his council and then the district heads and further down, the village heads and the ward heads.
“A lot of intelligence could be gathered in every given community, the ward heads are there, they can see whatever is happening daily and they rush to their district heads. “By the end of the day, you will discover that at the emirate everything that is needed to be known will be known,’’ Aliyu said. He added that traditional rulers were not usually consulted on most of the pressing issues.
“So, what we said is government should try to relate very much with the traditional institutions. “More so, like I have said, whosoever is paid from public funds must be made to do his own job,’’ Aliyu said. Aliyu said the foundation had provided youths in the region with complementary scholarship awards of N100, 000 each to about 200 students, with 10 selected from each of the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory. Blueprint reports that no fewer than 580 students studying the core-sciences of Medicine and Engineering among others have benefited from the scholarships since its inception in 2013.
