North East Governors’ Forum (NEGF) has urged the military to kill any terrorists or insurgent that fails to surrender in the ongoing mass surrender by terrorists in the sub-region.
While acknowledging the relative success recorded against terrorism and insurgency in the North-East sub-region, the North-East Governors Forum lamented that a new dimension of growing banditry is added to worsen the security situation in the sub-region.
The NEGF observed that as a result of the concerted efforts of the military to flush bandits from the other parts of the country, the bandits are now moving towards the Northeast.
The Forum stressed that the case is becoming worse in Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba States, places hitherto without banditry, the Forum therefore called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene to address this issue.
Chairman of the North East Governors’ Forum, Governor. Babagana Zulum of Borno State, who spoke on Saturday in Maiduguri at the 8th meeting of the forum, lauded the military for the relative peace in the sub-region that facilitated the return of normalcy in many areas, saying there is a need to smoke out the remnants that refused to surrender from their hideout.
According to Governor Zulum: “Let me use this auspicious occasion to commend our brave military in the fight against the insurgency which remains unquestionable while their determination to succeed is very glaring.
“No doubt, they have considered and acted upon a wide range of options in the fight against terrorism, thereby recording tremendous progress which has clearly indicated that the end to the insurgency in the sub-region is fast approaching.
“I want to call on the Nigerian military to reach into the enclaves of the insurgents who are not ready to lay down their arms. We must pursue them to their hideouts in the remote nook and cranny and neutralise those who refuse to surrender.”
The Governor, who decried the negative effect of insurgency that affected the socio-economic activities in the sub-region, said until the terrorists were subdued, efforts to improve things would be slowed down.
The Governor also spoke on the erratic rainfall recorded this year and last year’s flood which devastated food and infrastructure in the sub-region and urged for the Federal Government’s intervention.
He said on their part, the Northeast Governors had taken measures to repair some of the damages done.
“I urge us to collectively strategise and develop new adaptable farming methods to mitigate the impact of the low rainfall on crop cultivation this farming season.
“Therefore, there is the need for us to focus more on irrigation farming this time around more than ever before.
“I urge the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to focus on the support for irrigation farming in the sub-region in addition to its key mandate of providing critical infrastructure for the sustainable development of the sub-region.”
The governor who also spoke on illegal mining, sought a partnership with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals in curbing the activities of such miners.
He also drew the attention of the forum to the recent amendment to the 1999 Constitution which saw the removal of Power Generation and Railway Transportation from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list.
He said that the development was important for them to exploit towards the provision of independent power supply and rail transportation in the sub-region.