Arewa raises special c’ttee to tackle insecurity

•Kwara monarch, residents shiver

Disturbed by the lingering insecurity in the North, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has inaugurated a committee to find ways of remedying the situation.
Chairman of the ACF Security Committee is the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Abdulrahman Danbazau (rtd), while the ex-Inspector General of Police (IGP), Muhammed Abubakar, is his deputy.

The National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammed-Baba, in a statement yesterday, noted that two special committees were also set up to recommend blueprints as pathways for addressing key, pressing and critical issues of concern to Northern Nigeria.

He explained that the membership of the committees was arrived after due consultations with leaders of thought as to their wealth of experience and commitment to the relevant issues on hand.

According to him, the first committee, the Unity, Peace and Reconciliation Committee, is predicated, and based on the observation made about the deteriorating state of inter-group relations among the various northern communities, which he said, “have been inimical to peaceful coexistence and development.”

He continued: “Therefore, this committee was charged with responsibility for proposing realistic mechanisms for strengthening northern unity, and to reinforce processes of mechanisms for regular consultations and dialogue. This committee has Alhaji (Dr) Yayale Ahmed, CFR, Ajiyan Katagum, with Engr Babachir Lawal as his deputy.”

The ACF spokesman continued: “The committees were inaugurated at Abuja by Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, Wazirin Dutse, on 30th September and 1st October, 2024, respectively, and are expected to submit their reports to ACF by the middle of November, 2024.

“The ACF will in turn consider and discuss the reports and recommendations with the governors of the northern states for submission to the Federal Government and agencies responsible for security as may be necessary or appropriate.”

MEANWHILE, most residents in Ifelodun council area of Kwara State have fled their communities for fear of being kidnapped by gunmen. The Guardian gathered that some settlements have turned ghost towns as residents flee in droves to safer areas.

Kidnappers, as learnt, now write monarchs, informing them of when they would strike. Confirming the development, the Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, Oba Ismail Muhammad Yahya, disclosed that the Iyaloja of Oko town had so far spent over two weeks in captivity. He added that the town had since the incident been in fear, as residents now lock up and sleep at 6.00 p.m.

According to him, a monarch, the Olora of Ora town has since taken refuge in Lagos when he got information that he had become the target of kidnappers.

“It took us a great deal and efforts to convince and bring him back home from Lagos,” Oba Alebiosu stated. Speaking in a viral video while hosting the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor, Muyideen Aliyu, at a meeting with traditional rulers recently, the monarch appealed to the governor to rescue the entire state, especially Ifelodun, from the grip of bandits. He stated that the situations in Omu-Aran, Oko, Ora and Omupo, among others had been pathetic.

Appealing to the governor, the king said: “I make bold to say that traditional institutions are working hard. In fact, we have been tasking ourselves to maintain and sustain security in our domains with first class rulers contributing N250,000; second class pay N150,000, and third class paying N100,000.

“There’s no way we as a people can fight this course without government’s support because these people (bandits) in the bush go about with more sophisticated weapons.”

Consequently, he enjoined the state government to encourage and strengthen the local vigilantes.