The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) has appealed to terrorist groups in the country to give peace a chance, saying reverting to attacks and other acts of violence after weeks of reprieve will not advance the course of peace.
Chairman of the forum and Governor of Niger State, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu said the senseless killing of innocent citizens in the last two weeks in various parts of the country negated all efforts to restore peace to the country.
In a statement signed by Governor Aliyu’s Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, the forum expressed serious concern at the renewed attacks on citizens, following the murder of 34 persons in Potiskum, Yobe state on Friday, as well as the 22 people killed at Dogon Dawa Village in Kaduna State a forth night ago.
The forum said it was particularly alarmed at the shooting dead of 14 persons in Plateau State penultimate week which followed the same pattern as the killing of 40 students at the federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State earlier in the month, the murder of two Road Safety Marshals in Kano last month and four students of the university of Port Harcourt recently.
It said the overall implication of the rising wave of murders of Nigerians, is that the security situation in the country is worsening and that people are increasingly willing to resort to violence to settle their differences.
“We are worried that the security nightmare currently confronting the nation is capable of scaring off investors from Nigeria and putting the country on the travel advisory list of many countries around the world, thus dimming the country’s economic prospects,” the statement said.
The forum however commended security agencies for the success recorded so far, but urged them not to relent, saying the little success recorded should motivate them to do more.
It said Northern Governors were working closely with their colleagues from the south and the federal government, knowing full well that the raison d’être of any government is the welfare and security of its citizens.
