Southern govs to Buhari: Address the nation, restore citizens’ confidence, back Nigeria’s unity, ban open grazing,…

May 11, 2021
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Southeast governors and others after the summit

Rising from a one-day meeting in Asaba, Delta state Tuesday, governors from the southern part of Nigeria called on President Muhammadu Buhari to address the nation on security challenges facing the country.

The 17 governors also announced a ban on open grazing across the region even as they declared support for the unity of the country.

Those were the highlights of a 12-point communiqué read by the group’s Chairman and Governor of Ondo state, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu at the end of its four-hour meeting.   

The governors affirmed their people’s commitment to the nation’s unity on the basis of justice, fairness, equity, oneness, and peaceful co-existence between and among Nigerians.

Akeredolu said: “Southern Governors expressed very grave concern on the security challenges currently plaguing the nation and strongly urged that Mr. President should address Nigerians on the challenges of insecurity and restore the confidence of our people.

“We observed that the incursion of armed herders, criminals, and bandits into the Southern part of the country has presented a severe security challenge such that citizens are not able to live their normal lives including pursuing various productive activities leading to a threat to food supply and general security. Consequently, the meeting resolved that open grazing of cattle be banned across Southern Nigeria.   

“Agreed that the progress of the nation requires that urgent and bold steps be taken to restructure the Nigerian Federation leading to the evolution of state police, review of revenue allocation formula in favour of the sub-national governments and creation of other institutions which legitimately advance our commitment to and practice of true federalism.

 “In view of widespread agitations among our various peoples for greater inclusiveness in existing governance arrangements, the Federal Government should convoke a national dialogue as a matter of urgency.”

While also expressing concern over the continued gridlock on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway in Lagos, the meeting recommended the activation and establishment of ports in other states of the federation to create new jobs and promote socio-economic activities in the country.

On further lockdown arising from COVID-19, the governors said this would have grievous economic implications and therefore canvassed greater coordination and cooperation between federal and state governments in evolving strategies for dealing with the pandemic.

The 15 governors in attendance were the host Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Dr Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state.

The rest were Bayelsa state Governor Douye Diri, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, David Umahi (Ebonyi), Willie Obiano (Anambra), while Imo and Akwa Ibom states were represented by their deputy governors, Osun and Cross River states were not at the meeting.

 Buhari orders

Meanwhile, President Buhari has directed security agencies to deal decisively with anybody perpetrating violence or causing mayhem in any part of the country.

National Security Adviser, Major-General Babagana Monguno (retd) said this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of a National Security Council meeting held at the Presidential Villa Abuja.

He said the president would not relent in his duty towards ensuring every Nigerian is protected.

“What I am saying has to do with the orders given by the President, Commander-in-Chief to the Chief of Defence Staff, including the Service Chiefs, including the Inspector General of Police. I do not think I will want to go into details of the new measures.

“We have decided not to go along the path that we followed in the past whereby, certain operation and tactical decisions were made public; of course, we are in a situation whereby, we are fighting enemies that are not really known.

“The important thing is that the president has given us marching orders to deal physically with the emerging problems and of course, dealing with it form the realists paradigm, President Buhari ‘s approach to dealing with this problem basically is that he recognises that his primary responsibility is ensuring national survival in a hostile environment.

“Whether that hostility is domestic or external, it has to be suppressed and therefore, he has given a clear line of action to the operational elements under the leadership of the Chief of Defence Staff,” he said.

The NSA said dealing with the current security challenges remains a priority in order to return and sustain peace in all troubled parts of the country.

“The most important thing is that we have to subjugate all other requirements in order to deal with the present crisis of insecurity in the country. All other national objectives and obligations have to be subordinated to the primary concern of bringing back security and normalcy to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and allowing the entire citizenry to undertake their legitimate obligations without any fear of being intimidated or coerced by non-state actors,” he said.

Also speaking, Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, pledged more commitment and professionalism from the Armed Forces as they tackle security challenge ms in the country.

He said peace would surely return to the troubled spots across the country.

Also speaking, the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Usman Baba, assured Nigerians that the current security challenges would be surmounted.

 “The Security Council meeting has assessed the security situation in the country, particularly South-East and South-South, as it affects law and order and we have measures that have been approved and we will see how we can change the narrative within the quickest possible means to restore peace in those areas,” he said.

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