Northern Governors Set up Committee to Tackle  Insecurity

By John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) has set up committee to develop a comprehensive regional plan of action that would bring lasting solutions to the lingering security challenges in the North.

This was contained in a communique issued on Friday at the end of the governors meeting at the Government House, Kaduna.

This is coming on the heels of rising banditry and kidnapping, especially in Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna states.

The communique also announced  the Plateau state governor, Mr. Simon Lalong, as the new chairman of the forum.

The communique which was read by the outgoing chairman of the forum and governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, decried the lingering security challenges in the country, particularly in the North.

The communique said “the meeting was convened to deliberate on the major issues affecting the Northern states and the nation at large, particularly the current

challenges of insecurity which seems to be deteriorating, despite concerted efforts by the

federal and state  governments”.

The communique said in order to tackle the challenges holistically in an all encompassing manner, the forum set up a committee headed by  the governor of Katsina state, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, to develop a comprehensive regional plan of action that could bring lasting solutions to the lingering crises.

“The committee, as part of its mandate would seek audience with President Muhammadu Buhari and make adequate presentation to him on the true nature of the security challenges,” the communique said.

It added that suggestions on the issues  would  be made, based on thorough and insightful analysis and assessment of the situation and  the best possible way the federal government can resolve them.

The forum also announced the appointment of Mallam Tanimu Yakubu as the new Chairman of the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC) and resolved that the current management of the company who have been operating in acting capacity should remain until the appointment of a substantive executive management.