A Coalition of Northern group, CNG, Thursday embarked on civil campaigns aimed at mobilizing communal supports against rising insecurity in the Northern part of the country which had climaxed with the abduction of 333 Schools Boys from Government secondary school Kankara, Katsina state
The National Coordinator of the Group, Alhaji Balarabe Rufai, told newsmen at a briefing held in Katsina Motel that the group had lined up a set of actions to ‘’force President Buhari and his government to act on the grave situation in the country’’.
He further listed other activities to include: mobilizing communities for coordinated self-protection call for a mass and prolonged struggle, hashtagged #BringBackOurBoys, in solidarity with the parents of the kidnapped students across the entire Northern region.
Further plans by the group to proceed to occupy Daura for an indefinite sit-out at the President’s country home was however shelved indifference to advice from security agencies.
He said, “We planned to solicit the support and solidarity of all Nigerians and friends of Nigeria in Africa and around the globe to identify with this course by mounting pressure to force action from government.’’
“Also draw the attention of the International Community on emerging threats to democracy in Nigeria, besides the loss of citizens’ lives on a daily basis and other looming humanitarian crisis.”
The Coordinator further alleged that the current insecurity in the North is taking its toll on the economy of the region, especially in Agriculture where most farming communities have been denied access to farms.
He further opined that Northern Nigeria seems to have been abandoned at the mercy of vicious insurgents, bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, rapists and an assortment of hardened criminals who roam about and operate with ease.
He said; “The insecurity along the Northern highways is so high that people are afraid of travelling 50 miles from Funtua to Zaria; or the 80 kilometers from Zaria to Kaduna, not to talk of from Sokoto to Abuja or Kano.”
The Group also feared that the President appears to have reneged on his earlier pledge to ensure the protection of Nigerians and those powerful interests in government; pursuing personal benefits have hijacked the present situation.
The Group later marched around the premises of the motel with their placards, and presented a protest letter to the Governor through Special Adviser on Security, Ahmad Katsina, to be forwarded to President Buhari in Daura.
Credit: The Nation