Arewa Consultative Forum proffers solution to terrorists attack
By Olatunji Bambo
Frontline northern group, the Arewa Consultative Forum, has proffered solutions to the continued terrorist attacks happening in the country.
In its latest statement, the group said the government should deploy volunteers for security purposes, in the light of the Kaduna train attack.
Murtala Aliyu, ACF Secretary-General, gave the suggestion as an alternative to the military’s avowal to deploy helicopters for surveillance on train services.
“The authorities may look at the possibility of utilising volunteers, such as the ex-servicemen and women, the civilian task forces, hunters and whatever is available to make every inch of Nigeria habitable and peaceful,” he said.
The group also urged ” the entire Muslims, Christians and all religions, to embark on prayers towards the sustenance of peace and tranquillity in the North and the country in general.
“The Forum wishes the various religions utilise the entire holy month of Ramadan and the Easter period, in addition to, at least all Sundays and Fridays of the months of April and May, as a sober period to atone for our sins and pray for mercy from our creator.
“Nigeria, most especially the northern states, could not be said to be in the state of tranquillity that warrants development. The entire country cries for peace. This calls for sober reflection and absolute return to our creator for repentance.
“The ACF calls on the leadership of our political parties to structure their manifestos to address our challenges and refocus our psyche towards the peaceful growth and development of the country and not the current race for the sake of power or material gains.
“The holistic submission on the failure of governance, as attested by our governors, is an indication that all is not well in the nooks and corners of the territory called Nigeria. We have no other territory than this, so also a country but Nigeria.
“The survival of the country therefore must be paramount and lives and property of citizens, law and order and freedom of expression must be protected.
“The security of the country rests on the central government and calls for a cursory, calm, implementable and lasting solution.”
It emphasised that invitation of foreign forces or mercenaries to fight our course must be treated with utmost caution.
“On the proposition to escort trains from Abuja to Kaduna, Ibadan to Lagos or the Itakpe routes, by the Nigerian Airforce, the Forum calls on the security agency to redesign their operations and instead deploy their machinery and manpower in launching attacks on the bandits and terrorist enclaves.
“Dedicating such operations to only railway lines shall make air and road users more vulnerable to such attacks. The new dimension of the terror attacks, in the country, both on humans and infrastructure calls for total war.
