From Noah Ebije, Kaduna, Gabriel Dike

 

 

President Muhammadu Buhari, Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed Ali and the governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, yesterday, took a critical look at the state of the North, and lamented the security challenges bedevilling the region.

This is coming on the heels of the call by former vice president of the World Bank, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, for an independent medical team to ascertain the capacity of President Buhari to govern the country.

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President Buhari had described the late Saduana of Sokoto and Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello as a man that wished the best for the country and lived a life that encompassed quality leadership by example. He said the late Saduana worked for the betterment of the people regardless of ethnic, religious or tribal differences.

The President stated this in Kaduna at the 2021 11th annual lecture with the theme “Reducing the cost of governance for inclusive growth and youth development in post COVID-19 era in Northern Nigeria,” organised by the Arewa House Centre for Documentation and Research, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Kaduna.

Represented by his Chief of Staff (CoS) Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the President reiterated his commitment towards building a virile economy, providing security and fighting corruption at all levels.

Ali who is the former military governor of Kaduna State, described insecurity in North as “pandemic”, stressing that, “we are in the pandemic that is facing the northern Nigeria; we can no longer control our environment; where are we in terms of development? Injustice cannot bring peace and development.

“If we choose injustice, we will be ready to lack peace. Our economy is the lowest; we are known for agriculture, but today bandits have denied us going to farm; peasant farmers can no longer farm; no child wants to go to school because of fear of being kidnapped. We must be ready to tackle banditry and insecurity; if we make our mind to solve our problem, we will end this insecurity; the government cannot solve it alone.