Insecurity: Abdulsalami to chair northern coalition roundtable discussion

By Abubakar Yunusa

Former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, is expected to Chair a two-day roundtable discussion on rising insecurity in the country, organised by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG).

The National Coordinator of CNG, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, disclosed this while addressing journalists on Thursday in Abuja.

He said for the past two decades, Northern Nigeria has been grappling with a series of security challenges that have inflicted immense suffering on its people.

Charanchi said the region has become a breeding ground for insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and various other criminal activities.

Furthermore, he said lack of political will and capacity to effectively contain these challenges has created a vacuum, leaving thousands dead, countless displaced, and numerous communities destroyed.

“Recognizing the urgent need for a change in approach, the Coalition of Northern Groups took a bold and necessary step by assembling a committee of security experts”, Charanchi noted.

The CNG National Coordinator said the committee which has been working for the past three months, examined the inadequate response to the security crisis, highlighting the absence of synergy among security agencies, the lack of cooperation between the states and federal government, and the neglect of public involvement in combating these issues.

He told journalists that members of the committee also held engagements with relevant national security chiefs and some governors of the frontline states and gained useful insight and input.

“In the end, a roundtable discussion was proposed that will review and provide input into the operational framework for a multidimensional approach to tackling the security challenges in the region, developed by the Technical Committee of Experts.

“The roundtable will bring together frontline Northern States Governors, National Security Chiefs, heads of security agencies, academics, policymakers, security experts, justices and judicial officers, traditional rulers, clerics, and other critical stakeholders.

“The aim is to develop strategies for collaboration between federal, state, and local authorities, as well as the involvement of the general public.

“The outcome of the roundtable will be a module to democratize the security project by engaging individuals and communities, as well as various stakeholders, to take ownership of the security efforts in the region.

“The discussion will include four syndicate sessions and an interactive session with state governors, security chiefs, and heads of security agencies.

“These sessions will provide a platform for in-depth discussions, knowledge sharing, and the formulation of actionable strategies.

“The roundtable will take place from the 24th to 25th of January 2024, at the Nigerian Army Resource Center in Asokoro, Abuja. Various committees, including a sub-technical committee on security and a planning committee on security, have been formed to oversee the event”, he said.

Charanchi noted that through the upcoming roundtable discussion, CNG aims to foster collaboration, cooperation and synergy, develop actionable strategies, and engage all stakeholders in finding sustainable solutions.

“The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) stands before you to announce our upcoming two-day roundtable discussion in Abuja which will be chaired by former Nigerian Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar GCFR”, he added.