Northern Nigeria has become a haven for bandits. But a group in the north says the govt is making efforts to curtail their activities
A pro-government group on Monday gathered in Kaduna to tell themselves that the North is not bleeding, but healing.
The protesters, activists under the auspices of the Coalition of Northern Activists for Peace (CNAP), said though thousands have been killed in the region, security forces were making frantic efforts to curtail activities of bandits, terrorists and cyber propagandists., according to a report by The Nation Newspaper.
Leading the protest on Monday, the Kaduna Convener of CNAP, Prince Zubairu Mukhtar, said the rally was organised in appreciation of the substantial efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and the security agencies in addressing the challenges that have bedevilled the North.
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Mukhtar said: “The North has over time been on the spotlight with issues of insecurity specifically banditry, terrorism and Cyber propaganda.
“We all know for certain that the issues at stake require a multi-stakeholder approach, which is necessary considering the dynamics of the issues that have affected the socio-economic well-being of the peaceful and loving people of Kaduna State and indeed Northern Nigeria.
“It is a known fact that the past twelve years have been challenging, especially with the havoc caused by the activities of the Boko Haram insurgent group and other militant organisations in States like Borno, Yobe, Katsina, Bauchi, Plateau and our dear Kaduna State.
“It is indeed a statement of fact that the actions of these criminal elements brought sorrow, tears and blood in a most barbaric and condemnable manner.
“As concerned stakeholders in Northern Nigeria and in Kaduna State, we cannot feign ignorance to the issues affecting our state and the region, which by all indications are politically motivated.
“This is incognizant that successive Governments attempted to address the issues. However, their best wasn’t good enough, so much so that we feared that Armageddon had come.
“My comrades, Ladies and gentlemen of the press and the good people of Kaduna State, we don’t need a soothsayer to tell us about the heavy economic losses that have arisen due to the activities of non-state actors. We also do not need a prophet to say that hundreds of thousands of mothers and children have lost their lives in the carnage.
“At some point, we feared that peace would never return to the north. Our fears were brought about by the inability of those saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives and properties that seemed handicapped for ethnic, social and political reasons.
“However, the present administration’s actions towards addressing the issues in Northern Nigeria have been noteworthy despite the array of conspiracies against it. We knew that it was equally a daunting task, for it would not be business as usual.
“We knew that the promoters of bloodshed in Kaduna and indeed Northern Nigeria would fight back vigorously. And they did, but to no avail, because we have a President who has displayed an unalloyed leadership, commitment to leaving Nigeria better than he met it.”
“Today, my comrades, we are all witnesses to the notable efforts of our security agencies in curtailing the activities of bandits, terrorists and cyber propagandas that have been terrorizing most northern parts of the country including Kaduna State. Their operational strategies have indeed yielded positive results.”
