Boko Haram: Northern Govs, Royal Fathers In Crucial Meeting

The insurgencies of the Boko Haram sect has forced the 19 Northern Governors Forum and it traditional fathers to an emergency meeting in Kaduna.

The meeting which is currently ongoing behind closed doors has in attendance, governors of Niger, Sokoto, Gombe, Kano, Borno, Kebbi, Kwara, Zamfara, Yobe, Jigawa and Kaduna States. Deputies of Katsina, Kogi, Bauchi and Plateau represented their State governors, while governors of Nassarawa, Benue, Adamawa and Taraba were absent.

In his opening remarks, the Northern Governors Forum (NGF) Chairman and Governor of Niger State, Dr. Mua’azu Babangida Aliyu said that the security challenges facing the country, particularly the northern region will top the agenda for deliberation.

The governors he said will also receive briefing on the outcome of the Northern traditional Chiefs on peace from invited traditional leaders. Attending the meeting are the Sultan of Sokoto, Etsu of Nupe, Emir of Kazaure and the Bongwon of Jos.

He said, the DFID is to also brief the governors on new dimensions of relationship and collaborations.

Although the issue of electing a new chairman of the NGF was not disclosed, an inside source told LEADERSHIP that the incumbent NGF Chairman is likely to relinquish his position today.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the Governor of Plateau State, David Jonah Jang is expected to emerge as the new Chairman of the Forum.

The meeting is been held under tight security, as combined security operatives cordoned off  Gen. Hassan Katsina House, venue of the meeting to forestall any break down of law and order.

The forum would also discuss the communiqué issued by the Northern Traditional Council and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) at their respective meetings on the way forward for the region, the consolidation of the gains of Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF), progress on the restructuring of Kaduna Textile Limited (KTL), status of implementation of the National Minimum Wage and polio eradication in the Northern States.

Among other issues, the meeting is to also discuss the communiqué of a 2-day National Capacity-Building Workshop for 19 Northern States and review of the presentation by Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), 2009.

A communiqué however is expected at the end of the meeting, Dr Aliyu stated.