Northern governors tell Jonathan to declare war on sect

Posted by: Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna in News

Governors from the North yesterday called on President Goodluck Jonathan to declare war on Boko Haram, the Islamic sect whose insurgency has killed thousands.

Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, Chairman of the Forum, spoke in Kaduna at the inauguration of Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation Office building.

He said the North’s woes started with the assassination of the Sarduna of Sokoto in the January 15, 1966 coup.

He said Boko Haram members had declared war against Nigerians and they must be fought as enemies, adding:  “They are no more terrorists but rebels, who have declared war against their country and have acquired illegal territories; we must therefore crush them.”

“Unfortunately, our job is complicated by the present predicaments in the country – Boko Haram, insecurity and abject poverty, among others, Aliyu said, adding:

“Therefore, we must as leaders all come together on bipartisan or non-partisan basis to encourage Mr. President and the Federal Government to declare total war and eliminate Boko Haram in our midst before the 2015 elections.”

“I have heard many people saying that Boko Haram are Nigeriens; any Nigerian, and any citizen that picks arms against his country should be declared as non citizens.

“There is a limit to what the government can do. If being proactive, we have been doing that. But to declare total war is in the hands of federal government and the President. We must go back to our constitution. National conference has been held; we must go back and look at the issues raised with the aim to correct the difference between the federating unit and the federal government.

“Boko Haram is no more terrorists as it affects all of us. It not the issue of APC or PDP, we need to put our heads together,” he stressed.

Speaking on the state of Northern economy, Aliyu said, “We also need to come to terms with the reality that the nation cannot depend on the oil economy; we must continue to diversify into agriculture and solid minerals.

“We must also pursue the issue of state police so that we can have a stronger and rational say in the security of our states and account for our actions and inactions”. He said.

He however commended his colleagues, members of the NSGF and the Board of Trustees of the foundation for the unflinching support, cooperation and encouragement, making it possible for his chairmanship to record the monumental legacy in the annals of modern Northern Nigerian history.

“Like Sardauna, we must individually and collectively keep our date with history and write our own scripts for the appreciation of the unborn generations.

Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero called on the 19 states in the North to initiate a harmonised development plan that will ensure rapid economic growth and infrastructural development of the region.