From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Worried by the rising wave of insecurity in the country, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), yesterday, resolved to meet with governors from the region on how to end the menace.
They said the meeting would also investigate growing concerns over what they called “rampant defence corruption” running into trillions of naira.
According to them, the carnage bedeviling the northern region has plunged 8.4 million people in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states into poverty and despair.
There were contained in a communique issued after a two-day retreat in Bauchi State and signed by its spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman.
It read: “On the security situation, the retreat resolved to meet governors of northern states to present and discuss a comprehensive action plan put together by the CNG to check the situation.
“Demand an immediate, transparent and comprehensive investigation into growing concerns over rampant defence corruption running into trillions of Naira.
“Demand urgent government explanation on what is inhibiting the ability of Nigerian armed forces to effectively tackle the insurgent threat in the North East, banditry and kidnappings in the northwest as well as respond to the secessionist violence in the Southeast, oil bunkering in the Niger Delta, the conflict in the north central, and the threat of maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea,” he said.
Suleiman stressed that they would resist the temptation and pressure to vote a particular party, noting that only credible candidates with track record would be supported.
“The retreat resolved to call on the northern voters to remain ever vigilant on the direction the coming round of fresh elections will take by:
“Resisting the temptation to vote sole across political party, region, tribe or religious basis and instead, choose to install a credible leadership that could see the nation through and out of its current situation, from if needs be, even the so called peripheral parties.
“To demand from every candidate seeking northern votes to provide comprehensive programmes for the development of the region and promotion of protection of Northern interests around security and the economy.”
The CNG warned the international community particularly the United Nations to steer clear of the country’s security affairs.
“The retreat resolved to reiterate the CNG’s position against undue interference by the international community, particularly the United Nations in the internal security affairs of the country, and to:
“Caution the UN to desist from allowing some of its officials to drag it into international disrepute by interfering in particularly the matter of the trial of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
“Caution the Nigerian authorities against succumbing to undue pressure from whatever quarter so as to avoid setting a dangerous precedence in the country.”