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Enough is enough! Governors, leaders, declare war, move to secure North
For the umpteenth time, Northern leaders, comprising governors, traditional rulers and opinion moulders have come together under one roof to chart the way forward to the myriad issues confronting the area, particularly the security crises causing a lot of havocs in many towns and villages.
The meeting under the umbrella of Northern Governors Forum and Northern Traditional Rulers Council is currently ongoing at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, in Kaduna, the Kaduna State capital and capital of the old Northern Region.
In attendance at the parley, which kicked off Monday afternoon under the leadership of Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya Governor of Gombe State and Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto, has in attendance Christopher Musa, an army General and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), who hails from Kaduna State.
Yahaya, Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF), while bemoaning the situation in the region, told the delegation, in a welcome address, that the ugly situation called for collective action emphasising the need for collective action.
His words: “Our collective resolve is being tested by the ongoing challenges that we face. However, our unity and commitment to the prosperity of the people remain our greatest source of strength that will enable us to overcome those challenges.
“Terrorism, banditry, kidnap-for-ransom, farmer-herder clashes, drug abuse, the menace of Almajiri and out-of-school children, poverty, and unemployment. We must continue to work with the Federal Government and relevant agencies to provide the necessary support and relief to those affected.
“To address these challenges, requires various solutions including sustaining gains against criminals, studying and implementing the Coalition of Northern Group’s Security Committee report, and engaging with security agencies and civil society groups.
“Investing in education, skills development, and job creation; supporting small and medium enterprises; and attracting investment to northern states; as well providing support to farmers, ensuring rural security, and promoting agro-allied industries. Partnering with the Federal Government and stakeholders to build irrigation infrastructure and promote sustainable practices.
“We must deepen our cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, education, and trade, working together to harness our region’s immense potential. Let us not lose sight of the bigger picture – our shared responsibility to chart the way forward for a prosperous and forward-looking Northern Nigeria.
“The people of Northern Nigeria are counting on us to steer them through these challenging times, and with unity, determination, and bold actions, I am confident that we can fulfil our mandate to bring about a brighter, more prosperous future for all our people.”
Uba Sani, Kaduna State Governor, who also emphasised unity and collective action against regional challenges, acknowledged the commitment of the governors commitment to peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity, urging that unity must be sustained for greater goals.
His words: “We must work together to realise our vision of a secure, peaceful, and prosperous North. I commend the efforts of President Bola to combat insecurity. The establishment of a Joint Military Command and Operation Fansan Yamma is clear demonstrations of the Federal Government’s commitment.
Sani, who also commended the CDS for his presence, was optimistic that under the leadership of Yahaya and the Sultan, the aim of the forum to address regional challenges, would be met, added: “I am confident that under the able leadership of H.E. Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya and His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, the Northern Governors Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council will make their marks as effective platforms for addressing the security and developmental challenges confronting the North.
“Let me use this opportunity to commend our dear President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for reinvigorating the war against terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements in the North. The establishment of a Joint Military Command and launching of Operation Fansan Yamma are clear demonstrations of the Federal Government’s commitment to decisively tackle the multidimensional challenges of insecurity confronting the North.”
The Sokoto monarch who is also the spiritual leader of the Muslim community in Nigeria, while stressing the roles of traditional rulers in the entire arrangement towards lifting the region from the doldrums, also echoed the prevailing sentiments, saying: “We must work together to ensure our region’s progress.”
Among the regional governors who attended the meeting in addition to many traditional rulers, from the various states of the region, included: Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Babagana Zulum, Borno, Ahmed Fintiri, Adamawa, Abdullahi Sule, Adamawa.
The echoes of the drums rolled out to celebrate the rescue of the 44 teachers and students, kidnapped from some schools in Oyo State, after 56 days in the bush, would surely be disrupted abruptly, with the divergent echoes of a fresh abduction, this time coming from Kogi State.
Reports indicate that the gunmen, struck on Tuesday at the Government Secondary School, Odo-Ekina, in Dekina Local Government Area of the state, abducting four students, the school principal and a National Examinations Council (NECO) ad hoc staff member.
Authorities of the Kogi State Police Command, who immediately unleashed their operatives in hot pursuit of the abductors, said the attack occurred at about 5:25 p.m. while the students were writing their NECO examination.
Saliu Oyiza Afusat, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and spokesman of the command, said a combined team of police personnel and other security agencies has launched a search-and-rescue operation following the incident.
Informing that one of the students was actually rescued immediately, she said efforts were ongoing to secure the release of the remaining victims and apprehend the attackers, adding that Naziru Bello Kankarofi, the state Commissioner of Police, alongside the Brigade Commander and the State Security Adviser to the Governor, Commodore Jerry Omodara (Rtd), were already on the way to the scene for an on-the-spot assessment.
Oil prices are expected to go down now with the announcement of Donald Trump, US President that he will no longer impose a 20 percent “safe passage” fee on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The POTUS, hinged his reversal of the decision on the intervention from some Gulf countries, who pleaded with him not to toe the line due to the massive economic impact the decision would make on the region.
Indeed, oil prices had shot up immediately Trump announced the new levy on Monday while declaring the US ‘the guardians of the Hormuz strait,’ a measure which he said was to pay for the cost of guarding the volatile area in order keep supply of oil flowing.
Reports said that Gulf allies of the US worked frantically to get Trump on the phone in time to talk him out of the idea altogether, while a flurry of appeals came from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar.
In response, the POTUS, posting on his Truth Social platform, wrote: “Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20% United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States.”
Trump, who said the investments would be “MASSIVE but, at the same time, extraordinarily good for them, and their future,” added that the deals would see factories, plants, and equipment pour into the US at “Historic levels.”
The Gulf nations have committed to invest trillions of dollars in the US, though it remains unclear how much of that they will actually spend over the next several years.
Meanwhile, the US continues to bomb Iran in what appears to be a resumption of active conflict between both countries, despite an ongoing roadmap to end the conflict.
Reports say operatives of the Osun State Police Command, and those of the Department of State Services (DSS) had tracking the trail of Adeniyi Adeyemi, controversial Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), for weeks, before he was eventually pulled out of his hole on Tuesday.
However, the duo, were said to have pulled back after failing to track him through his mobile phones, which he had reportedly switched off for about two days, making it difficult to locate him, leaving the stage for the members of the Police Intelligence Response Team (PI-RT) led by Moses Lohor, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP).
Lohor, said to have previously served as the Commander of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of Osun State, and reported to have been involved in high-profile security operations and controversies, after taken over fielded his men to pick up signals from their well-oiled signal networks.
Regarded by many Osun residents as one of the key security officers who contributed significantly to the peace and stability enjoyed in Ilesa and other parts of the state during his tenure, he was said to have relied on his contacts before his transfer out of the state, said to have raised concerns from the public about the security situation he would be leaving behind.
His exit from the state was said to be hinged on an incident in 2024, in which he allegedly shot one Iyanda Alowonle, then Chairman of Osun State Motor Transport System, in the stomach at the police station in the state prompting an order for his arrest by then Inspector General of Police (IGP).
His effort was said to have paid off when he successfully tracked down the controversial PFIPC, boss, who was seen on Tuesday evening, in a shot video on social media undergoing interrogation, and eventually handed him over to Ibrahim Gotan, Commissioner of Police in the state.
The PUNCH quoted one of the sources as saying: “The arrest (of Adeyemi) took place on Tuesday morning by the IRT squad, who immediately moved him to Abuja. After he was arrested, he was taken to Ibadan and from there to Abuja.”
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