Insecurity: Northern Elders Demand Buhari’s Resignation

Say life has no value under him

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has demanded the resignation of
President Muhammadu Buhari following the mounting security
challenges in the country with the government appearing
helpless.

The Forum also expressed outrage over the massacre of Borno rice
farmers, saying life has no value under Buhari’s
administration.

It added that, “In civilized nations, leaders who fail so
spectacularly to provide security will do the honourable thing and
resign.”

The Director of Publicity and Advocacy of the Forum, Dr. Hakeem
Baba-Ahmed, in a statement issued Tuesday, described the response
by the President’s spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, as ‘most
insensitive’.

The forum said it had consistently drawn attention to lack of
political will to fight the Boko Haram insurgency and other threats
such as banditry, rustling and kidnapping.

It added that it had offered suggestions on how the security
infrastructure could be improved and leadership of the military
could be made more effective.

NEF said obviously, despite advice and concerns from many other
Nigerians, these had made no impression on President Buhari.

It stated: “Northern Elders Forum (NEF) joins Nigerians in
expressing outrage at the killings of farmers in Borno State and
many other people on a daily basis in many parts of the North. Our
voices have been raised without pause for a long time against
pervasive insecurity in our region.

“These particular killings have been greeted by the most
insensitive response by spokespersons of the President. The lame
excuse that farmers had not sought permission from the military to
harvest produce merely expose the misleading claims that our
military had secured vast territories from the insurgency.”

“Under this administration, life has lost its value, and more
and more citizens are coming under the influence of criminals. We
do not see any evidence of a willingness on the part of President
Buhari to honour his oath to provide security over Nigerians.

“In civilized nations, leaders who fail so spectacularly to
provide security will do the honourable thing and resign,” it
added.

The Forum pointed out that these killings and the reality they
expose would make relocation of citizens and resumption of economic
activities a lot more difficult to achieve even for a leadership
that attaches priority to them, adding this administration does
not.

It noted that elsewhere in many parts of the North, many farming
communities had not been allowed by bandits and kidnappers to plant
crops.

It said those who did were being prevented from harvesting by
these same criminals, adding that the prospects for famine are real
in the face of limited production of food in many of our
communities.

Say life has no value under him

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has demanded the resignation of
President Muhammadu Buhari following the mounting security
challenges in the country with the government appearing
helpless.

The Forum also expressed outrage over the massacre of Borno rice
farmers, saying life has no value under Buhari’s
administration.

It added that, “In civilized nations, leaders who fail so
spectacularly to provide security will do the honourable thing and
resign.”

The Director of Publicity and Advocacy of the Forum, Dr. Hakeem
Baba-Ahmed, in a statement issued Tuesday, described the response
by the President’s spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, as ‘most
insensitive’.

The forum said it had consistently drawn attention to lack of
political will to fight the Boko Haram insurgency and other threats
such as banditry, rustling and kidnapping.

It added that it had offered suggestions on how the security
infrastructure could be improved and leadership of the military
could be made more effective.

NEF said obviously, despite advice and concerns from many other
Nigerians, these had made no impression on President Buhari.

It stated: “Northern Elders Forum (NEF) joins Nigerians in
expressing outrage at the killings of farmers in Borno State and
many other people on a daily basis in many parts of the North. Our
voices have been raised without pause for a long time against
pervasive insecurity in our region.

“These particular killings have been greeted by the most
insensitive response by spokespersons of the President. The lame
excuse that farmers had not sought permission from the military to
harvest produce merely expose the misleading claims that our
military had secured vast territories from the insurgency.”

“Under this administration, life has lost its value, and more
and more citizens are coming under the influence of criminals. We
do not see any evidence of a willingness on the part of President
Buhari to honour his oath to provide security over Nigerians.

“In civilized nations, leaders who fail so spectacularly to
provide security will do the honourable thing and resign,” it
added.

The Forum pointed out that these killings and the reality they
expose would make relocation of citizens and resumption of economic
activities a lot more difficult to achieve even for a leadership
that attaches priority to them, adding this administration does
not.

It noted that elsewhere in many parts of the North, many farming
communities had not been allowed by bandits and kidnappers to plant
crops.

It said those who did were being prevented from harvesting by
these same criminals, adding that the prospects for famine are real
in the face of limited production of food in many of our
communities.