Northern elders group lampoons Buhari over insecurity, IDPs’ hunger

Members of the Coalition of Concern Northern Elders for Peace and Development on Monday expressed concern over the continued silence of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd . ) , to the growing calls for him to rejig the security architecture in the country.

According to them , the resolutions of the National Assembly that the President should act swiftly to stop the increasing bad situation was enough for him to act , given that they are the representatives of the people .

The COCONEPD , in a statement by its National Chairman , Dr Mohammed Suleiman , and National Secretary , Hajiya Mairo Buni , said the worsening security situation in the country had caused untold hardship on women and children in both the North- East and the North- West .

The organisation said the insecurity in the country had reached a boiling point , adding that only the sacking of service chiefs as first step in addressing the ugly development could be acceptable by Nigerians.

The northern elders said that the 2021 budget proposal that was presented to the National Assembly by the President could be difficult to fund should the President fail to address the situation immediately .

The statement read in part , “ We are compelled by the current state of the nation , especially as it affects the security of lives and property in Nigeria, particularly in the North to issue this press statement .

“ This coalition became very necessary and urgent to lend our voice to the growing insecurity and call for the sacking of the current service chiefs and total overhaul of the security architecture of our country before it is too late .

“ We are worried about President Muhammadu Buhari ’ s silence despite call by every arm of Nigeria, including the National Assembly . Some international organisations and authorities have faulted our security architecture and called for the need to restructure same ; yet Mr . President is still not moved ?

“ Is he waiting for all Nigerians to die first ? In a constitutional democracy , the people are the employers of the President and for a President to write his name in gold , he must listen to the people .

“ We in this group insist that President Buhari is a good man that means very well for Nigeria and Nigerians, but we strongly believe that he is being misled on a daily basis in the happenings of the security .