LEADERS of northern Nigeria from 17 groups, including the Arewa
Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF),
declared on Friday that the North was ready for restructuring of
Nigeria but it would not succumb to any blackmail to rotate the
presidency with the South.
![image](/2020/10/lawreport.jpg")
The groups, under the aegis of the Northern Peoples Summit, took
that decision in Kaduna, Kaduna State, after what they described as
two days of deliberations. They issued a 12-point communique
literally emphasising the political advantage which the North
currently enjoys over the South. “The North will not be stampeded
or blackmailed into taking major decisions around rotating the
presidency,” they said.
![image](/2021/01/payne-alex.jpg")
The communique reads in part: “The Northern Peoples Summit
convened on the 7th and 8th April, 2021 at Arewa House, Kaduna, to
discuss the issues bedeviling the North and the Nigerian State.
These include security, restructuring, economic, politics and the
survival of the Nigerian State.
“After two days’ intensive discussions, the summit resolved as
follows:
“To sustain the summit as a productive forum for utilising
pan-Northern assets in the search for resolution of Northern
problems;
“To encourage Northern elites and political leadership to
improve their levels of sensitivity to inclusiveness and management
of the North’s pluralism. The North will be stronger if it
addresses its internal weaknesses, particularly around
ethnoreligious matters, as it relates to its challenges with the
rest of Nigeria. Perception and practise of creating minorities and
majorities among Northerners should have no place in the North, nor
is discrimination on the basis of place, faith or ethnic group of
any Northerner;
“The North believes that restructuring the country is now a
vital necessity for survival as one united entity.
“The North will not be stampeded or blackmailed into taking
major decisions around rotating the presidency.
“The North draws attention of the country to the inherent
fragility of the Nigerian state. For Nigeria to survive, all parts
of the country must equally commit to supporting its continuation
as one entity, without equivocation or subterfuge. The North
extends an invitation to groups that are genuinely interested in
discussing the future of the country. The North believes that every
interest can be accommodated in one united, just and equitable
nation, but the North cannot be the sole custodian of this
endeavour.
“The North warns against the continuation of demonisation,
attacks and killings of Northerners in the Southern parts of the
country. It demands that federal and state governments must take
firmer steps to protect members of Northern communities who live in
the South. This includes the arrest and prosecution of persons who
are involved in these dangerous activities.
“The North urges Northern communities to continue to exercise
restraint and be good hosts.
“The North invites the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari,
Northern governors and legislators to the fact that under their
watch, the North has sunk lower in all indices of human existence.
Delegates at the summit committed to continuously engage in
searching for solutions, as well as raising their voices against
poor governance, corruption and absence of commitment to deal with
insecurity, poverty and hopelessness among Northerners.
“Government should show effective presence in all ungoverned
spaces in the North. “The North resolves that there should be
government backed negotiations and dialogue with the bandits, Boko
Haram and affected communities for effective peace in the
North.
“The North appreciates the response of H.E. Governor of Plateau
State and Chairman, Northern Governors Forum (NGF) Rt. Hon. Simon
Bako Lalong, to its invitation to attend the summit and be a
resource person who enriched our discussions.
“The Northern Peoples Summit will reconvene in the near future.
Signatories to the communique are Air Marshal Al-amin Daggash,
Northern Elders Forum (NEF); Ambassador Ibrahim Mai-Sule, Arewa
Consultative Forum (ACF); Dr Usman Bugaje, Arewa Research
Development Project (ARDP); Engr. Bello Suleiman, Code Group (CG);
Dr Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe; The Northern Movement (TNM); Dr
Innocent Ahure, Northern Development Resource Centre (NDRC); Alhaji
Bashir Othman Tofa, Kano Concern Citizens Initiative (KCCI); Hajiya
Bilkisu Oniyangi, Arewa Initiative for Good Governance (AIGG); Dr
Rose Danladi Idi, Northern Initiative Forum for Development (NIFD);
Nastrura Ashir Shariff, Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG); Yerima
Shettima, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF); Murtala Mohammed,
Joint Action Comm. of Northern Youth Ass (JACNYA); Comrade D. S.
Rimoni, Middle Belt People Assembly (MBPA); Alhaji Muhammed Tahir,
Amalgamated Union of Food Stuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria,
Alhaji Awual Tukur (Galadiman Delta), Northern Union Rep. South
South; Alhaji Iliyasu Yushau (Sarkin Hausawa Onitsha), Northern
Union Reps South East; Alhaji Aliyu Yaro, Northern Union Rep. South
West and Professor D. D. D. Sheni, Chairman, Communique Drafting
Committee.
The communique came a day after Governor Bello Matawalle of
Zamfara State issued a statement threatening reprisal attacks on
Southerners in the North if what he called attacks on Northerners
residing in the South did not stop. Matawalle’s statement reads in
part: “As Northern leaders, our dignified silence in the face of
constant provocation, attacks because of our desire for peace must
not be taken as a sign of weakness as no community, no region has
the monopoly of violence.
“If Northerners and their means of livelihood will not be
protected, accommodated and be dignified anywhere they chose to
stay in any part of the South, Southerners should not expect such
reciprocal protection from the North as the North has more than
what it takes to respond to any kind of aggression and
hatred.
“We have seen the destruction, the killings and the devastation
recently at Sasha Market against Northerners and their economic
interests.
“Properties worth billions of Naira were lost in addition to
human lives, yet some leaders in the South West are downplaying the
atrocities committed or at best justifying it. Some of them have
shamefully gone to the extent of apportioning blames on the victims
and casualties of their aggression.
“Last Sunday’s killings of innocent Northerners in Imo is one
too many and no matter how we love peace, leaders with conscience
and fear of God must speak out against this continued barbarism and
hatred. If that is allowed to continue, we will not take that any
longer as no human life is better than another.
“No business interest is better than another. In fact, in crisis
situation, the South has more to lose in terms of its business
interests in the North and the strategic nature they established
themselves in the North than Northerners living in the
South.”
The ACF also issued a communique on Thursday in which it said it
“received reports on the unfortunate killings of some northerners
in the South East that seemed suspicious.” The forum said: “We call
on security agencies to investigate these killings and fish out the
culprits. We also warn our youths who have suddenly started
distributing messages on the social media calling on reprisal
attacks on Ibos and their business interests in the north. We the
Arewa Consultative Forum stand against all lawless acts of self
help and call on all northern youths to stop such evil
plans.
“They do not enjoy our support. The Arewa Consultative Forum
believes in dialogue and consultation as a way of bringing peace
and normalcy back to our troubled region and nation. We however
condemn the payment of ransom and call on the bandits and
insurgents who are holding other citizens as hostages to desist
from such ungodly acts.
“No religion that is practised in Northern Nigeria permits such
sinful acts like holding other human beings as hostages for
financial reward.”
LEADERS of northern Nigeria from 17 groups, including the Arewa
Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF),
declared on Friday that the North was ready for restructuring of
Nigeria but it would not succumb to any blackmail to rotate the
presidency with the South.
The groups, under the aegis of the Northern Peoples Summit, took
that decision in Kaduna, Kaduna State, after what they described as
two days of deliberations. They issued a 12-point communique
literally emphasising the political advantage which the North
currently enjoys over the South. “The North will not be stampeded
or blackmailed into taking major decisions around rotating the
presidency,” they said.
The communique reads in part: “The Northern Peoples Summit
convened on the 7th and 8th April, 2021 at Arewa House, Kaduna, to
discuss the issues bedeviling the North and the Nigerian State.
These include security, restructuring, economic, politics and the
survival of the Nigerian State.
“After two days’ intensive discussions, the summit resolved as
follows:
“To sustain the summit as a productive forum for utilising
pan-Northern assets in the search for resolution of Northern
problems;
“To encourage Northern elites and political leadership to
improve their levels of sensitivity to inclusiveness and management
of the North’s pluralism. The North will be stronger if it
addresses its internal weaknesses, particularly around
ethnoreligious matters, as it relates to its challenges with the
rest of Nigeria. Perception and practise of creating minorities and
majorities among Northerners should have no place in the North, nor
is discrimination on the basis of place, faith or ethnic group of
any Northerner;
“The North believes that restructuring the country is now a
vital necessity for survival as one united entity.
“The North will not be stampeded or blackmailed into taking
major decisions around rotating the presidency.
“The North draws attention of the country to the inherent
fragility of the Nigerian state. For Nigeria to survive, all parts
of the country must equally commit to supporting its continuation
as one entity, without equivocation or subterfuge. The North
extends an invitation to groups that are genuinely interested in
discussing the future of the country. The North believes that every
interest can be accommodated in one united, just and equitable
nation, but the North cannot be the sole custodian of this
endeavour.
“The North warns against the continuation of demonisation,
attacks and killings of Northerners in the Southern parts of the
country. It demands that federal and state governments must take
firmer steps to protect members of Northern communities who live in
the South. This includes the arrest and prosecution of persons who
are involved in these dangerous activities.
“The North urges Northern communities to continue to exercise
restraint and be good hosts.
“The North invites the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari,
Northern governors and legislators to the fact that under their
watch, the North has sunk lower in all indices of human existence.
Delegates at the summit committed to continuously engage in
searching for solutions, as well as raising their voices against
poor governance, corruption and absence of commitment to deal with
insecurity, poverty and hopelessness among Northerners.
“Government should show effective presence in all ungoverned
spaces in the North. “The North resolves that there should be
government backed negotiations and dialogue with the bandits, Boko
Haram and affected communities for effective peace in the
North.
“The North appreciates the response of H.E. Governor of Plateau
State and Chairman, Northern Governors Forum (NGF) Rt. Hon. Simon
Bako Lalong, to its invitation to attend the summit and be a
resource person who enriched our discussions.
“The Northern Peoples Summit will reconvene in the near future.
Signatories to the communique are Air Marshal Al-amin Daggash,
Northern Elders Forum (NEF); Ambassador Ibrahim Mai-Sule, Arewa
Consultative Forum (ACF); Dr Usman Bugaje, Arewa Research
Development Project (ARDP); Engr. Bello Suleiman, Code Group (CG);
Dr Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe; The Northern Movement (TNM); Dr
Innocent Ahure, Northern Development Resource Centre (NDRC); Alhaji
Bashir Othman Tofa, Kano Concern Citizens Initiative (KCCI); Hajiya
Bilkisu Oniyangi, Arewa Initiative for Good Governance (AIGG); Dr
Rose Danladi Idi, Northern Initiative Forum for Development (NIFD);
Nastrura Ashir Shariff, Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG); Yerima
Shettima, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF); Murtala Mohammed,
Joint Action Comm. of Northern Youth Ass (JACNYA); Comrade D. S.
Rimoni, Middle Belt People Assembly (MBPA); Alhaji Muhammed Tahir,
Amalgamated Union of Food Stuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria,
Alhaji Awual Tukur (Galadiman Delta), Northern Union Rep. South
South; Alhaji Iliyasu Yushau (Sarkin Hausawa Onitsha), Northern
Union Reps South East; Alhaji Aliyu Yaro, Northern Union Rep. South
West and Professor D. D. D. Sheni, Chairman, Communique Drafting
Committee.
The communique came a day after Governor Bello Matawalle of
Zamfara State issued a statement threatening reprisal attacks on
Southerners in the North if what he called attacks on Northerners
residing in the South did not stop. Matawalle’s statement reads in
part: “As Northern leaders, our dignified silence in the face of
constant provocation, attacks because of our desire for peace must
not be taken as a sign of weakness as no community, no region has
the monopoly of violence.
“If Northerners and their means of livelihood will not be
protected, accommodated and be dignified anywhere they chose to
stay in any part of the South, Southerners should not expect such
reciprocal protection from the North as the North has more than
what it takes to respond to any kind of aggression and
hatred.
“We have seen the destruction, the killings and the devastation
recently at Sasha Market against Northerners and their economic
interests.
“Properties worth billions of Naira were lost in addition to
human lives, yet some leaders in the South West are downplaying the
atrocities committed or at best justifying it. Some of them have
shamefully gone to the extent of apportioning blames on the victims
and casualties of their aggression.
“Last Sunday’s killings of innocent Northerners in Imo is one
too many and no matter how we love peace, leaders with conscience
and fear of God must speak out against this continued barbarism and
hatred. If that is allowed to continue, we will not take that any
longer as no human life is better than another.
“No business interest is better than another. In fact, in crisis
situation, the South has more to lose in terms of its business
interests in the North and the strategic nature they established
themselves in the North than Northerners living in the
South.”
The ACF also issued a communique on Thursday in which it said it
“received reports on the unfortunate killings of some northerners
in the South East that seemed suspicious.” The forum said: “We call
on security agencies to investigate these killings and fish out the
culprits. We also warn our youths who have suddenly started
distributing messages on the social media calling on reprisal
attacks on Ibos and their business interests in the north. We the
Arewa Consultative Forum stand against all lawless acts of self
help and call on all northern youths to stop such evil
plans.
“They do not enjoy our support. The Arewa Consultative Forum
believes in dialogue and consultation as a way of bringing peace
and normalcy back to our troubled region and nation. We however
condemn the payment of ransom and call on the bandits and
insurgents who are holding other citizens as hostages to desist
from such ungodly acts.
“No religion that is practised in Northern Nigeria permits such
sinful acts like holding other human beings as hostages for
financial reward.”