Sola Ojo, Kaduna

Groups under Coalition Against Killings In Northern Nigeria (CAKIN) yesterday issued a 14-day ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari to end killings, kidnappings and banditry in the region or face massive protest from the people.

The coalition made the resolution after its meeting calling on President Buhari to relief the security chiefs of their appointments due to their inability to come up with workable tactics to address issues of insecurity five years after their appointments.

“The coalition from today, June15, 2020, gives a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to end killings in the entire states of the North. After the expiration of this ultimatum, any reported case of killing will leave us with no option than to mobilise citizens to take to the streets until the government is shut down,” the group said in a statement.

In the statement jointly signed by seven groups from the region, CAKIN called for the cancellation of security votes for state governors and divert the funds to community policing to safeguard Nigerians from criminal elements.

The document was signed by Isa Abubakar of Northern Youth Council of Nigeria; Yerima Shettima, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum; Yusuf Idris Amoke, Northern Anti Corruption Front; Mohammed Salihu Danlami, Arewa Youth Assembly, Murtala Abubakar, Joint Action Committee of Northern Youth Associations; Dr. Idris Mohammed, CUPS and Gambo Gujungu, Arewa Youth Forum.

“It is on a sad note that this coalition wishes to remind the government at all levels that the primary responsibility of government anywhere, particularly the one that was democratically elected by voters, is to protect lives and property of citizens. Nigerians, particularly northerners voted President Muhammad Buhari to power in 2015 in anticipation that as former military Head of State and retired General, he is positioned to deal decisively with all forms of threats to security of people, particularly challenges of Boko Haram that had caused hardship and unprecedented destruction of lives and economy activities.