The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has called on the entire Muslims, Christians and all religions, to embark on prayers towards the sustainance of peace and tranquility in the North and the country in general.
ACF made the call in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Malam Murtala Aliyu who also doubles as Mutawallen Gombe.
According to the ACF scribe, “The Forum wishes the various religions utilise the entire holy month of Ramadhan and the Easter period, in addition to, at least all Sundays and Fridays of the months of April and May, as sober period to atone 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 tranquility that warrants development.
“The entire country cries of peace. This calls for sober reflection and absolute return to our Creator for repentance.
The ACF called on the leadership of “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.
He submitted that citizens should make the survival of the country paramount.
“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 ACF scribe said.
“The Arewa Consultative Forum appreciates the frustration of leaders at sub-national level, however we call on the governments, governors and citizens alike, to avoid any fire brigade approach on any pressing issue that bedeviling the country.
“The security of the country rests on the central government and calls for 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.
ACF argued that “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 terrorists 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 human and infrastructure calls for total war.
“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.
“We must appreciate the responsibility bestowed on us by providence as the largest black nation and as a leader on our continent must do everything within our powers to keep Nigeria stable and strong.”
