Act on Boko Haram: Arewa Forum to President Jonathan

Anthony Sani

Oct 1st, 2011 – Act on Boko Haram: Arewa Forum to President Jonathan

The northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), yesterday asked the President Goodluck Jonathan to implement the report of the panel on Boko Haram and Security Challenges, as well as those on ethno-religious crises.

The forum said the full implementation of those reports is the only way to retain the confidence of Nigerians in the ability of government to guarantee the safety of citizens.

This was contained in the communiqué issued at the end of the joint meeting of the Board of Trustees and National Executive Council of the ACF. 

The communiqué, which was signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Forum, Anthony Sani, welcomed the setting up of such panels by the government, but expressed concern about the non-implementation of their reports.

It also expressed concern about the educational situation in the north and the abysmal levels of enrollment of children in both primary and secondary schools across the northern states in spite of the billions of naira lying idle with the Universal Basic Education Commission.

The forum asked the northern governors to immediately pay up their counterpart funds, which is the condition they must fulfill before the UBEC funds are released to them.

The communiqué reads: “The Arewa Consultative Forum had its 3rd Joint Meeting of the Board of Trustees and National Executive Council for this year on the 29th September, 2011, in Kaduna. 

“The meeting was well attended and ably chaired by retired Lt-General J.T Useni who was supported by other leaders of the Forum. The meeting deliberated on the preparations for the forthcoming Arewa Peace and Unity Conference and other matters of national importance as they affect the North in particular; and resolved that the following communiqué be issued (The Nation).