Northern speakers decry security challenges in the region

By Christiana Ekpa

The Northern Speakers Forum has expressed dismay at the high rate of insecurity in the region and urged the federal government to mobilize the security forces towards curbing the menace.
The forum also enjoined the federal government to mobilize security to take control of Guzamala Local Government Area, Northern part of Borno, presently under the full control of insurgents.
The forum also called for the deployment of more military personnel in Abadam and Baga Local Government Areas of the State to check the nefarious activities of the insurgents.
The call was contained in a communique jointly signed by Engineer Hamisu Ibrahim Chigari, Saleh S. Yipmong and (Dr) P.M Mackonde.
The forum also decried the spate of insecurity in the country particularly in the Northern parts, while acknowledging the constraints and limitations of the state governors as regards the control of security agencies in the country.
It called on Governors in the North to eschew differences among themselves and unite to fight the menace of different forms of insecurity in the region for peaceful co-existence of its people and the development of the region.
The forum, however, called on the relevant stakeholders to reconsider their priorities in favour of the security of lives and property of their people.
It called on all relevant stakeholders in the country to use the instrumentality of the ongoing Review of the 1999 Constitution to provide community policing for better security of life and property of the citizens.
The forum supports the devolution of powers by way of decongesting the Exclusive Legislative List for Concurrent Legislative List in the ongoing Review of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It advocated for more empowerment schemes that would ultimately engage the youths and take them off the streets thereby enhancing the security of lives and property of the people in the region.
It also sought collaboration and partnership with public and private organizations to bring back moribund industries to life.
The participants suggested that security experts and professionals be engaged to train vigilantes and other local security groups to effectively complement the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies in the country.
The forum called for more synergy between the Nigerian Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to evaluate efficacy in the security challenges.
The Forum also urged the Federal Government to re-enforce the battle against insecurity by recruiting more personnel into the Nigerian Armed Forces and Nigeria Police Force.
The participants called for intensive prayers to seek divine intervention as a measure for addressing the security situation in the region.