Amid unease in some quarters over relocation of some departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) through memos circulating in the media, Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the federal government has no plan to relocate any of its agencies from Abuja to any part of the country.
Shettima stated this during the 10th Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture in Maiduguri yesterday.
The vice president who was represented by the special adviser to the president on political affairs, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the administration of President Bola Tinubu would not marginalise any part of the country.
He urged the various governments and leaderships in the North to find a lasting solution to the security challenges in the region.
Following the alarming rate of killings and abductions in various parts of the North and the country in general, stakeholders at the lecture charged the federal government and state governments in the region to take decisive actions to secure lives and property.
The stakeholders said if there is corruption in the leadership, there is no way the governments can defeat insurgency and banditry.
Speaking on the theme; “Beyond lamentations: Uprooting Banditry and Insurgency Through Good Governance For Sustainable Development In Nigeria,” the former governor of Niger State and chairman of the Board of Trustees, Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, described as worrisome, the insecurity in the North and other parts of Nigeria.
He noted that the rise of banditry and insurgency in the country was a direct consequence of deep rooted socio-economic and governance issues, adding that these challenges were symptomatic of systemic failure that had perpetuated poverty, inequality and disenfranchisement within communities.
“It is clear that the absence of good governance and sustainable development has created a fertile ground for conflicts and instability, undermining our collective efforts to build a peaceful and prosperous nation.
“Corruption has become rampant to the extent of selling government employment, anything you want in most government offices, you must pay. In addressing these pressing issues, we must recognise that sustainable peace and development are intrinsically linked to good governance.
“We cannot hope to eradicate banditry and insurgency without addressing the underlying grievances and vulnerabilities that fuel these conflicts. Therefore, it is imperative that we embark on a comprehensive and holistic approach that prioritises good governance, economic empowerment and social inclusion,” he said.
The guest speaker, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, urged leaders and governments in the North to emulate the legacy of Sir Ahmadu Bello and his compatriots who did not “pursue the rat and ignored the burning house”, saying they used what they had wisely.
“They were never caught sleeping on the job. Rather, they faced the challenges of their time with every legitimate tool at their disposal. They developed a vision of a prosperous, self-reliant and self-assured northern region. They created, repurposed and reinvigorated institutions to make their vision a reality,” he said.
In his remarks, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, also noted that good governance is the bedrock of tackling the banditry, insurgency, kidnaping and other security challenges facing the nation.
He said the state government in its modest way in tackling insecurity through good governance was committed to reconstruction of houses, hospitals, schools, resettlement, as well as supporting the military in the fight against insurgency.
Zulum said for a meaningful development to take place, corruption must be fought to a stand still, stressing that corruption had affected lives of the people.
The chairman of the occasion and chairman, Northern Governors Forum, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya, said the North should not be afraid of restructuring and resource control, noting that the region has the human resources, mineral resources and vast lands.
“The North has the land for agriculture, manpower for development. If oil can be found in Chad and Niger Republics, there is nothing that can stop Nigeria from getting oil from the North,” he said.
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