Buhari Meets Northern Govs Today over Worsening Insecurity

President Muhammadu Buhari will today meet with governors of the 19 northern states in Abuja over the worsening security situation in the region.

The region has been enveloped by violence arising from Boko Haram insurgency, herdsmen killing of farmers, armed banditry and kidnapping.

Only yesterday, many were killed and houses torched in Dutse Uku, Rikkos and Cele Bridge areas of Jos, the capital of Plateau State, in a renewed orgy of violence that the police said had been brought under control.

Reacting to the situation yesterday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) blamed the president and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the growing despondency in the country, saying their policies were responsible.

The former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, also expressed his disappointment with the state of the nation yesterday, warning that the country was dancing on the brink of chaos.

But Vice President Yemi Osinbajo thought differently, saying the future of the nation is bright and contended that the prevailing situation is a temporary challenge that would be overcome.

The Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Mr. Simon Lalong, disclosed the proposed meeting of the governors and Buhari yesterday during a special church service to mark the inauguration of his second tenure.

He said his colleagues in the north were deeply worried by the insecurity and under-development in the region and had decided to meet with the president before the commencement of his second tenure in order to articulate ways of addressing the challenges.

Lalong said: “During our meeting under Northern Governors’ Forum, they said let us go and meet with Mr. President.

“As the new Chairman of the forum, I said I have not resumed. But they said we must go and meet with him before his inauguration on May 29 so that we will tell him the problems of the north and how we can address the challenges of insecurity, under-development and other matters affecting the people. That is why we have agreed to meet with him tomorrow in Abuja.”

Lalong urged the people to pray for the success of the meeting to enable the northern region move forward.