In an effort to address the worsening security situation in the northern states of Nigeria, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, has been selected to lead the standing committee on security in in the region.
In a statement issued by Plateau State Governor’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Makut Macham, on Friday, the decision to set up the Yahaya Bello-led committee by the Governors in the 19 Northern States was arrived at during a regional meeting held on Thursday via teleconference to discuss ways of tackling insecurity and other menace plaguing the region.
The committee has Governors of Zamfara and Gombe as members.
The Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong presided over the meeting where it was also agreed for the engagement of local vigilantes, hunters, and community watch groups in the security architecture of the region in order to foster intelligence gathering, rapid response and sustained surveillance.
They also set up another committee headed by Governor Simon Lalong on consultation with traditional, 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 as the Forum, individual State Governments 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 Governors equally commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his efforts to deal with the security situation in the country and the region in particular.
