The Northern Governors forum has selected the Governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to lead the standing committee on security to check the rising rate of insecurity in Northern Nigeria.
The Director of Press and Public Affairsto Plateau Governor,Makut Mach, in a statement said the decision to set up the Yahaya Bello-led committee was arrived at during the regional meeting held by the forum recently via teleconference.
According to him, the meeting was called to discuss ways of tackling insecurity and other menace plaguing the region.
Macham added that the committee had Governors of Zamfara and Gombe as members.
He said the Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, who is also the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong presided over the meeting where it was also agreed to engage local vigilantes, hunters.
The plateau governor’s aide further disclosed that the meeting also agreed to involve community watch groups in the security architecture of the region to foster intelligence gathering, rapid response and sustained surveillance.
He said:”They also set up another committee headed by Governor Simon Lalong on consultation with traditional rulers, religious and community leaders in the North, with a view to ensuring that there is wider involvement in tackling insecurity in the region.
“The Lalong-led committee has Governors of Adamawa, Niger and Sokoto as members.
” While sympathizing with victims of the various attacks and other forms of criminality in the region, the Northern Governors also appealed for calm by groups and those affected.
“The Forum, individual State Government and the Federal Government are working together to ensure that this ugly situation is brought under control immediately, as well as addressing the humanitarian needs of the victims.
“The Governors also want the Federal Government to accelerate the Livestock Transformation Plan which will assist in creating jobs among farmers and herders in the region and the country at large.
“The Forum commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his efforts to deal with the security situation in the country and the region.”
