If We Don’t Save The North From Its Present Situation, We Will Lose It, Says ACF

National Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Chief Audu Ogbeh, has said if they did not save the North from its present precarious situation, the North will be lost totally.

This was contained in a communique after their first inaugural meeting held in Kaduna on Wednesday and signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Yawe.

The statement quoted the chairman to have said “some Nigerians mistake the ACF to be an ethnic, tribal, religious or a political organisation. It is none of these. We have over 300 tribes in the north and we cannot afford to be an ethnic organisation.”

“Our responsibility now is greater than before. We have not faced this challenge before,killings day and night. At no time has life been so tough except during the civil war,” the group added.

To this end, the ACF called on the Northern states to take advantage of the N75 billion loan to farmers in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing in Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL).

It also warned religious, ethic, traditional, and political leaders in the North from making inflammatory utterances.

“Because of the existing tensions and crises leading to a general sense of insecurity, destruction of property and killings in the North, federal and state governments must take urgent steps to arrest the deteriorating security situation in northern Nigeria which has led to insurgency, terrorism, banditry, ethnic and religious disturbances all over the north.

“The government, particularly state governments of the northern region, should pay adequate attention to agriculture which offers more opportunities for diversification and the development of a more sustainable economy for the north and the country.

“School enrolments have remained low in the northern region. State governors of the north should take urgent steps to enhance school enrolment and eradicate the rampant incidence of street begging which is very unhealthy for the overall development of the north.

“Unemployment has become a big menace to the northern region. State governors are advised to design employment schemes for our teeming youths who have become frustrated and pose an additional threat to the security of the north and the country.”