ACF Keep Mum Over Boko Haram

The Arewa Consultative Forum ACF have kept mum on the security challenges rocking the North and caused by the Boko Haram sect. Many expected the highest body of the socio-cultural group in Northern Nigeria, ACF, to discuss ways of bringing a lasting

 solution to the series of crises caused by the Islamic Militant group, but they kept quiet and went ahead to discuss the issue of the almagiri syndrome in the North.

According to ACF, the crises in the country especially in the North may not come to an end until the perpetrators are brought to book, but declined making comments on Boko Haram.

A communiqué issued at the end of its 3rd National Working Committee, chaired by retired Lt-General Jeremiah T. Useni, ACF said that panels are been set-up without result, thereby, making the body and other Nigerians to lose confidence in the future of the country.

The communiqué signed by Anthony N.Z Sani, Publicity Secretary, ACF, and made available to Huhuonline.com / stated that, 'lest Nigerians lose trust and confidence on panels and commissions set up by the government in future.

 'We welcomed the spirited efforts by Mr. President in setting up the panels on ethno-religious crises in Jos and its environs and on Boko Haram and security challenges in the North-East geopolitical zones. We urged the government to go further and take all the necessary actions on the submitted reports expeditiously, lest Nigerians lose trust and confidence on panels and commissions set up by the government in future', the group stated.

 According to ACF, 'the spate of ethno-religious crises and the novel incidences of bomb blasts, as well as the problems of almajirai across the North, the upsurge in armed robberies and menace of area boys in the South-West; the upward spiral in the inhuman practice of kidnapping and breeding of infants for sale in the South-East; and the militant activism in the South-South with their dire consequences on national security and socio-economic development of the country need urgent attention' have become a source of worry.

It was gathered that the ACF has directed its Planning and Organizing Committee of the Arewa Peace and Unity Conference to ensure that the conference is very inclusive of Northern Governors Forum, the Traditional Rulers, Northern Senators Forum, Northern Members of House of Representatives Forum, Northern Speakers Forum, Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, all religious community and Political leaders of Northern extraction, as well as representatives of youth.

'ACF considered the abysmal levels of enrolment of children in both primary and secondary schools across the Northern States amid billions of naira lying idle with the UBE Commission. As a hedge against such disheartening trends, the meeting appealed to Northern Governors to make haste and provide their counter-part funds, which are conditions the governors must fulfil in order to access what are due and payable to their respective states from the UBE Commission', the communiqué added.

It further stated that enrolment of children in school was very important considering the funds, which they say can go a long way in improving the volume and quality of education across the Northern parts of the country.