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Tag: Arewa Consultative Forum

  • Suspected criminals set family house ablaze, kill three in Rivers

    Suspected criminals set family house ablaze, kill three in Rivers

    Unidentified criminals believed to be cultists has set ablaze a family house at Okpako-Ejemah in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State killing one  Alhaji Hamza Garuba, his wife and a step son.

    Mr. Muhammed Sani, younger brother to Garuba, narrated to The Nation that the arsonists, five in number invaded his brother’s house at about10.00p.m. Tuesday and attempted to rob the family.

    Sani said the bandits had attempted to rape wife of Garuba, but that the deceased who was infuriated stabbed one of the bandits to death.

    He said: “I believed the stabbing of that criminal may have infuriated other gang members who quickly ran out of the house, locked the entrance door and set the house ablaze. My brother, his wife and a step son were locked up inside the house while the house was on fire. Nobody was at hand to rescue them as all of them were burnt beyond recognition.”

    Muhammed stated that killing was not in connection of the clash between Hausa community and task force team in Onne, Eleme LGA, Monday, adding that Garuba was killed by criminals that invaded his house.

    However, the Public Relations Officer of Rivers State Police Command, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the incident and added that two persons have been arrested in relation to the matter.

    Meantime, Arewa Consultative Forum, South-South, South-East branch, has condemned the killing and worried that mischief makers want to cause disunity among Hausa community and the people of Eleme.

    Speaking, the Coordinator of the body, Alhaji Musa Saidu, noted that Garuba was killed by bandits, saying: “The incident at Okpako-Ejemah was a clear case of robbery and arsonist attack. The Young man and his family were killed by arsonist who set their house ablaze. Hausa people have co-habited with their host community and they don’t have any issue.”

     

     

  • ACF to Nigerians: Stop speculations on Buhari’s health

    ACF to Nigerians: Stop speculations on Buhari’s health

    The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has asked Nigerians to stop speculating and drawing conclusions on the state of President Muhammadu Buhari’s health.

    The Northern socio-cultural pressure group said a situation where Nigerians speculate and draw conclusions on the President’s state of health will do Nigeria nor anyone no good.

    The forum in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim Biu however said  what Nigerians need to do at the period is to pray for their leader’s sound health to enable him serve the nation better with more vigor.

    ACF frowned at individuals whom it said were carelessly making unnecessary remarks pertaining to the health of the President.

    According to the statement, “Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has observed with concern that some individuals are carelessly making unnecessary remarks pertaining to the health of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “What Nigerians need to do now is to pray for his good health and not to speculate or draw conclusions which will do no one any good.

    “ACF advises Nigerians to please pray for the improvement of Mr. President’s health so that he can serve the Nation with more vigor.

    “On the speculated disorder and lack of cohesion between the National Assembly and the Presidency, ACF advises the National Assembly to think of Nigeria above all other considerations,” it said.

  • ACF to Avengers: Stop attack on oil facilities

    Mouthpiece of Northern Nigeria, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has told the new militants group, the Niger-Delta Avengers, to stop their attack on oil facilities.

    ACF said the group’s actions which are sabotaging the nation’s economic progress are unacceptable.

    ACF Chairman and former Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Coomassie, in a telephone chat with The Nation said, the several attacks carried out by the NDA were unjustifiable, as necessary machinery to develop the region have been put in place by the Federal Government.

    Coomassie said, “There is Ministry of Niger-Delta, they have Niger-Delta Development Company and they have amnesty intervention and money was being passed through all these agencies. So, why didn’t they develop their areas?

    “Why are they asking for more? They were in government and certain projects were diverted there, including the fund for the dredging of River Niger. What else do they want?”

     

  • Coomassie, ACF Chairman want President, Governors stripped of immunity 

    Coomassie, ACF Chairman want President, Governors stripped of immunity 

    Former Inspector General of Police and Chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmadu Coomassie is canvassing a drastic reform of the political process and the judicial system.

    Top of the political reform Coomassie wants is the removal of public office holders’ immunity, which, according to him, will help in sanitizing the electoral process and reduce abuse of office.

    He spoke at the International Conference on ‘Deepening Democracy through Elections in Nigeria: An Assessment’ organised by the Department of Political Science and International Studies of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

    The ACF Chairman who chaired the conference said the political reform has become imperative to safeguard the nation’s democracy.

    Citing the 2015 elections, the former IGP said:”From one source alone, a staggering $2.1billion earmarked for procurement of arms to fight insurgency in the North-east was diverted to secure the electoral victory of the PDP.

    “Indicators suggest that most government agencies and departments were forced to cough out funds to aid in the electoral victory of the PDP, making it the most expensive election in the nation’s history.

    “Now that we have a new government in place, which campaigned for and won because it promised change and is therefore amenable for the reform of the whole political processes. We must avail ourselves with the opportunity to make far-reaching reforms that will safeguard this democracy.”

    On the immunity clause, the former IGP said, “it is time to expunge this immunity clause in the constitution or amend it to give the President and Governors only immunity from civil litigations. This is one of the many steps that will help sanitise not only the electoral process, but reduce the abuse of office that have become the hallmark of elected public office holders in Nigeria.

    “As chief law officers, they are expected to be above board. From 1999 to date, this has not been the case. The democratic process has been characterised by impunity, disregard for service delivery and high levels of corruption.

    “Similarly, the Buhari administration should as soon as possible initiate a major reform of the judicial processes in Nigeria. Nigeria inherited the judicial system from the British at independence and since then, it has undergone minimal reforms.

    “Matters before our law courts suffer long and unnecessary delays. Prosecutors of criminal offenders suffer great frustrations at the court, especially when serious cases before our eminent jurists get thrown out on simple technicalities.

    “Strict penalties should be introduced for all electoral offences. After more than 50 years as an independent nation, and after several tries at the democratic governance, Nigeria must once and for all get her acts together. After 17 years of uninterrupted civil rule, Nigeria’s democracy can no longer be described as an experiment We must strive to consolidate this gain by not only making sure that our electoral processes are fool proof, but that attempt to tamper with them will meet the full wrath of the law,” Coomassie posited

    The ACF Chairman also called for abolition of the State Independent Electoral Commissions saying local government elections should be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which should computerise all electoral processes to allow for absolute credibility.

    Earlier his address, ABU Vice Chancellor, Professor Ibrahim Garba said it was time for the academia to rise up and shape public discuss through conferences like this.

    According to him, the academia, especially political scientists have a duty to examine and analyse the fierce struggles leading to primitive accumulation of wealth and have resulted in contemporary class conflicts, ethnic violence as well as the present phase of insurgency which is threatening national security.

  • ACF backs Buhari on stolen funds recovery

    ACF backs Buhari on stolen funds recovery

    President Muhammadu Buhari has again received support from Arewa Consultative Forum, (ACF), on the steps taken so far by his administration to recover stolen public funds.

    The ACF described the President’s steps as appropriate and timely to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of stolen public funds, saying the method would “sanitize the system and revive prudence and discipline in the conduct of public officers”.

    The northern socio-cultural group also applauded the United States of America, United Kingdom, Germany, France and other western nations for helping Nigeria to track down, recover and repatriate stolen funds.

    The ACF Board of Trustees headed by elder Statesman, Mallam Adamu Fika made the observations on Thursday in Kaduna at the end of its meeting with members from the 19 northern states of the country.

    According to Mallam  Fika, who is also the Wazirin Fika in a statement: “The meeting therefore applauded the international cooperation and support the Federal Government is receiving in the effort to recover and repatriate all stolen funds”.

    The ACF said it noted with ‘dismay recent embarrassing and divisive statements from some elder statesmen which are capable of causing disaffection among the various components of Nigeria and called on such elements to employ civility and caution in their utterances for peace and harmony to prevail in our fledgeling democracy’.

    “It (ACF) was particularly unhappy with the activities of MASSOB and other ethnic agitators who are fond of calling for disintegration of the country after 55 years of independence”, the ACF lamented.

    The statement reads: “ACF reaffirmed its belief in one Nigeria and the need for all hands to be on deck to move the nation forward.

    “That the effort of the Federal Government in tackling the Boko Haram insurgency through the joint multinational military task force of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, global counter terrorism support by the international community and the gallantry of our military and other security agencies is most highly commended.

    “It particularly salute the Military for repelling the recent attack on our troops at Goniri in Yobe state on Tuesday 6th October, 2015 where many terrorists were killed and dangerous  weapons recovered.

    “It noted that the success being recorded by the military and other security agencies in combating insurgency in the northeast must have been as a result of the support and encouragement from the Federal Government and the determination of the field commanders to end the insurgency within the time frame given by Mr. President.

    “The meeting also condemned the rampant kidnapping and ritual killings of innocent people and urged the security agencies to not only track down perpetrators of such crime but ensure that they are brought to book.

    “That the steps taken by the Federal Government to investigate, prosecute, perpetrators and repatriate stolen public are not only appropriate and timely but will also sanitize the system and revive prudence and discipline in the conduct of public officers.

    “The meeting therefore applauded the international cooperation and support the Federal Government is receiving in the effort to recover and repatriate all stolen funds.

    “That to boost economic activities and generate employment opportunities, the meeting appealed to the state governments to directly channel Federal allocations to the Local Government Councils to enable them execute projects that have direct bearing on the welfare and development of the people rather than the use of joint accounts that have in most cases been a conduit pipe for misapplication and abuse of state funds.

    “It urged State governments to respect the constitutional autonomy of the local government councils for grassroots development.

    “The meeting also called upon all tiers of government to address the issue of payment of back log of domestic debts especially local contractors bills, workers and pensioners emoluments which will equally revive the economic activities and make it to thrive.”

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  • Identify, dialogue with sect leaders, ACF, NEF tell Federal Government

    Identify, dialogue with sect leaders, ACF, NEF tell Federal Government

    THE Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) – the mouthpiece of Northern Nigeria – yesterday called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency identify the real leaders of the Boko Haram sect and dialogue with them as a way of end the killing of innocent Nigerians.

    The forum spoke on a day the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) expressed the frustration of the North and said the people were frustrated and angry with the President Jonathan-led government over its inability to protect their lives and property.

    In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, the ACF lamented the invasion of the Yobe State capital despite the presence of security agents.

    The group concluded that the level of insecurity in the Northeast was beyond the capacity of the military.

    It, however, called on the Federal Government to stop the killings in the areas by all means, arguing that, the recent attacks on Kano, Borno and Yobe were clear indications that Nigeria is under siege.

    The statement reads: “We at ACF feel saddened and really disturbed with the invasion of Damaturu by Boko Haram insurgents resulting into killing of innocent people and destruction of property.

    “ACF noted that Nigeria is gradually sliding into anarchy with territories being seized and taken over by insurgents without any serious counter resistance from our military.This situation clearly demonstrate that our security are poorly equipped to contain the spread of insurgency.

    “ACF will continue to call upon the government to discharge its responsibility of providing security and good governance.

    “Government must as a matter of urgency identify the real leaders of Boko Haram and enter into a real dialogue with them, with a view to bringing an end to this bloodletting.

    “ACF also sympathizes with people and government of Borno and Yobe States over this unfortunate invasion and bomb blast that have killed many people and left scores injured.”

    On its part, the NEF at a press conference addressed by Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed, drew the attention of President Jonathan to the dangerous level of anger and frustration among northerners over the failure of his administration to protect them.

    Ahmed said: ”President Goodluck Jonathan is been surrounded by security chiefs who are not doing their job because if they are doing their job it should have advised him that law abiding Northerners are on the verge of disregarding all appeal for restrain and respect and order in the face of the appearance of total absence of any evidence that government is concerned over their security.

    “The Forum calls on all Nigerians to exert all lawful pressure on President Goodluck Jonathan to stop the carnage against Nigerians in the North.

    “The Kano mosque massacre and the invasion of Damaturu today (yesterday) stand out as one episode that has high-lightened the degree to which citizens in Northern Nigeria lives at the mercy of terror.

    “More shocking than the massacre and the continuous occupation of the Nigerian territory is the silence of leaders from the North particularly former heads of states and those who hold political positions today.

    “By their silence, people of the North are beginning to treat them as complicity in the apparent conspiracy to break the spirit, economy and political capacity of the people of the north.

    “No other explanation makes sense for the indifference and collaboration of most Northern leaders and political office holders, other than the one that also suggest that they have also abandoned their own people.”

    The local chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in Kaduna State  also, condemned the triple bomb blast that hit the Kano Central Mosque  claiming the lives of many and leaving scores with several degrees of injury.

    In a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr. Mohammed S. Ibrahim and Secretary, Dr. Shehu Abdulrahman respectively, the association commiserated with the victims of the dastard act of bomb blast.

    They said: “The Kaduna State branch also wishes to commend the Kano State branch of the association and all doctors in Kano for rising to the occasion and providing the much-needed medical care and support to the victims in various hospitals in the state, despite the absence of other health workers (nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists among others) in the federal health facilities who have embarked on a selfish nationwide strike since the November 14.

    “We also wish to commend members of the public in Kano for promptly responding to the call for voluntary donation of blood in appreciable numbers. Their sacrifice has in no small measure made the efforts of the doctors worthwhile.

    “We wish to remind members of the general public that all Hospitals in Nigeria are open and doctors are available to provide them with medical care and support despite the ongoing non-doctors’ strike. We call on the Federal Government to quickly resolve the impasse with other health workers without distorting the agreements reached with the Nigerian Medical Association, to avoid recurrent service disruption in the health sector.”

     

     

  • Nigerians have lost confidence in ceasefire pact -ACF

    Nigerians have lost confidence in ceasefire pact -ACF

    Worried by the Friday bombing of Gombe and seizure of Mubi in Adamawa State, the Northern Socio-cultural group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has condemned the continuous killings in Northeast, saying Nigerians no longer have confidence in the federal government and Boko Haram ceasefire deal.

    ACF in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, condemned the triple bomb blast that hit Gombe on Friday, stating that, “the bomb blast in Gombe, the continued killings and seizure of towns and villages in Borno and especially now Mubi in Adamawa State by insurgents barely two weeks after the announcement that a ceasefire had been brokered between the Boko Haram insurgents and the Federal Government calls to question the sincerity and effectiveness  of the ceasefire agreement.”

    According to the statement, “It is really disturbing and worrisome that despite the assurances given by Government that appropriate security measures are being put in place to contain the insurgency including the ceasefire agreement, the situation in the Northeast region is deteriorating which needed a decisive action to quell it. Towns like Bama, Gwoza and many others are still under the control of the insurgents despite the emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

    “Nigerians are becoming sceptical and no longer have confidence in the assurances being given by government officials regarding the security challenges, since the terrorists have continued to unleash mayhem on the people without adequate counter offensive from the military.

    “The news of the bomb blast that occurred on Friday morning at the Gombe motor park, was wicked, gruesome and condemnable considering the 27 innocent people killed in the blast and also the destruction of property it caused.

    “The bomb blast in Gombe, the continued killings and seizure of towns and villages in Borno and especially now Mubi in Adamawa states by insurgents barely two weeks after the announcement that a ceasefire had been brokered between the Boko Haram insurgents and the Federal Government calls to question the sincerity and effectiveness  of the ceasefire agreement.

    “However, Government should not rest on its oars in finding a lasting solution to this menace. ACF therefore calls on the Government to decisively employ new strategy and tactics on daily basis to deal with the situation.

    “Government should also continue to pursue dialogue and peaceful negotiation with the genuine leaders of the Boko Haram in order to restore the desired peace and order in the region, especially now that our politicians are busy with electioneering campaign against 2015 elections.

    “It’s an irony that, while Nigerians in the Northeast region are being killed by insurgents and Nigerian territories being seized, our politicians are busy collecting party declaration forms to contest 2015 elections instead of collaborating efforts to contain the insurgency.

    “ACF urges Nigerians to be more vigilant and security conscious as we embark on the 2015 electioneering campaign.”

    It offered its condolence to the families of those killed and injured in the incident and called on the state government to provide free medical treatment to them.