Mixed reactions as Northern Senators Forum unites against insecurity in region

By Haruna Salami

The determination of the Northern Senators’ Forum to fight kidnapping and other crimes in the region is quite reassuring, but how feasible is it against the reality on the ground?

No doubt the new chairman of the NSF, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, who took over from Senator Abdul Ningi, has intimidating credentials to fight this war and win.

His father was the Minister of Lagos Affairs, an equivalent of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT today. His elder brother, General Shehu Yar’adua was the second in command to General Olusegun Obasanjo as Head of State, 1973 to 1979, while his elder brother, Umar Yar’adua was the president 2007 to 2010 before unfortunate demise.

Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua is a retired Lt. Colonel of the Nigerian Army and the Senator representing Katsina Central. He has been in the corridors of power and he is in power as senator and chairman NSF.

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A press statement by the Northern Senators Forum on the recent spate of kidnappings in the month of March 2024 signed by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua, Chairman, Northern Senators Forum is instructive.

It said “the distressing state of affairs concerning the recent wave of violence and kidnappings in the North is a major concern to the Northern Senators Forum (NSF).

“The series of events that have unfolded in Kaduna State, beginning with the kidnapping of 286 students and staff from a school on March 7th, the despicable attack on worshippers in a mosque on March 8th, the abduction of 61 more persons on March 12th, followed by 14 individuals on March 17th, and a staggering total of 87 individuals in Kujuru on March 18th, amongst others, are not only reprehensible but demand urgent and resolute action.

“We are committed to pursuing a lasting solution to this menace. We will not rest until the security situation is significantly improved and the perpetrators of these heinous acts are brought to justice. It is our core duty and mandate, and we will spare no effort in fulfilling it for the greater good of our people and our nation”.

This is a very lofty target set by NSF for itself to bring about peace and tranquility the troubled North, but how is it going to achieve it?

Kidnapping and other violent criminal activities have been very rampant in the North. It is no longer secret that law abiding citizens states like Niger and Zamfara, to mention just a few, have to pay heavy taxes to bandits to allow the go to their farms.

Some villages have been completely destroyed and removed from the map of some states as the residents who survived repeated onslaught have moved to internally displaced persons (IDP) camps or relocated to other states altogether.

However, the irony of Kaduna, where most military formations are based, once called liberal state and now centre of learning, that this is happening in Kaduna, beats one’s imagination.

In terms of military presence in Nigeria, Kaduna has more than it’s fair share. The state can boast of the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Nigerian Army Depot, Zaria, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji and Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, Kaduna.

Others are Nigerian Air Force Training School, Kaduna, Nigerian Navy School of Armament, Kachia, Nigerian Army School of Legal Services, Basawa Zaria, Army Operation Base, Southern Kaduna and Nigerian Army School of Infantry.

With all these military formations in Kaduna, the state supposed to be one of the safest in Nigeria, but alas, the reverse is the case.

The terrorists even have the effrontery to attack the NDA, killed and kidnapped some officers and negotiated for ransom.

The catalogue of kidnappings in March alone referred to by the chairman of NSF is mind boggling. The case of 286 pupils, students and staff of Government Secondary School and LEA, Kuriga after morning assembly is the saddest of all.

How were 286 students and teachers taken away? How many buses or motor cycles were used in a bright sunny day?

Now, the Defence Headquarters said it has declared 97 terrorists wanted and urged citizens to volunteer information about those people whose pictures were displayed.

The Director of Defence Operations, Maj-Gen. Edward Buba confirmed the names and pictures of the people declared wanted on Friday.

Against the background of the killing of 16 soldiers in in Okuoma community, Delta State, the Senate Joint Committee on Defence, Army, Navy and Airforce held a closed meeting with the nation’s Service Chiefs.

The meeting had in attendance, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, chairman of the Joint Committee, who is also Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Ahmad Lawan, said the Senate stands with the Nigerian Armed Forces.

He declared support for the directive given by President Bola Tinubu to the Armed Forces to fish out the perpetrators of what he called “barbaric and horrific act”.

The Senate also urged the federal government to ensure that those responsible for the heinous crime are identified, apprehended and brought to justice.

Senator Lawan further underscored the need for the federal government to prioritise the issue of security, noting that security takes precedence over investment in any other sector.

He described the killing of the 16 soldiers as “barbaric”, and appealed to Nigerians to support the Armed Forces by volunteering information that would lead to the capture and prosecution of those behind various forms of insecurity across the country.

These bare commendable efforts from different stakeholders in the security sector.

The Northern Governors Forum have been trying their best, but their seems not good enough. The war against kidnapping and other violent crimes has recorded some appreciable success, but everyone knows the terrorists are not in any way defeated yet.

What is the NSF bringing to the table? What surprise is NSF under Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua up to?

Nigerians wish NSF huge success as they work with the security agencies, the executive and the Nigerian public.