Governors of the 19 Northern States in Nigeria have agreed to cooperate with the Federal Government to end insurgency in the country, as Boko Haram continues attacking major towns across the region.
Making the declaration on behalf of the other 18 governors in the region, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, who is also Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, said that with increased attacks by the Boko Haram in the north east, the governors of the region will encourage President Goodluck Jonathan to declare total war on the insurgents.
Aliyu, who spoke during the commissioning of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation Office Building in Kaduna on Monday, explained that members of Boko Haram are no longer terrorists but rebels and enemies of the nation who must be crushed at all costs before they destabilise the peaceful co-existence of the country.
He said that the governors of the region cannot on their own fight the Boko Haram terrorists since they are not in control of security apparatus. The governor therefore stressed the need for the creation of state police to enable the governors take responsibility of security challenges in their respective states.
President Goodluck Jonathan, who was represented at the event by the Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, said the Federal Government remains committed to ending terrorism in the country. He also reiterated government’s willingness to dialogue with any of the insurgents willing to lay down their arms.
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