From Muawuya Bala Idris, Katsina
Coalition of Northern Group (CNG) has commenced engagement with Communities in solving insecurity problem facing Northern states.
The engagement kicks off in Katsina state with the theme ‘Imperative of popular participation in tackling socio_ecomonic challenges bedevilling Northern Nigeria through Driven solution’.
Our correspondent reports that the Katsina community engagement drew participants from the student unions, the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Community and Religious leaders, Civil Society Organisations, and university lectures, among others.
Speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of CNG, Dr Ashiru Sheriff Nasturah, said the engagement was initiated to source for solutions to end insecurity facing the region.
Nasturah said the coalition was worried about the insecurity problem, hence the need to source for a solution to move the region forward.
He said the coalition has met and deliberated with relevant stakeholders in security matters and engagement with communities was part of the recommendation of the deliberation.
He said community participation in the fight against insecurity was necessary to complement the effort of security agents to restore peace in their areas.
He said the engagement would be extended to all states in the North, assuring that the coalition would come with a communique reached at the end of the engagement.
Earlier, the former Waziri of Katsina, Professor Sani Abubakar Lugga, commended the initiative of the coalition and for the contribution from Northern stakeholders to achieve the desired result.
Lugga, however, urged Northerners to raise in defending the region’s dignity and work for its development.
Also speaking, the National Coordinator of the coalition, Comrade Jamilu Chiranchi, laments over the absence of quality leadership to address socio-economic problems facing North.
“Our problem is we lack leaders ready to sacrifice and serve people,” he said.
He said the coalition will continue to work in addressing challenges facing the entire North.
In his speech, Governor Dikko Umar Radda said following measures taken, attacks on communities by bandits have been reduced in the state.
Represented by the state Commissioner of Information, Dr. Bala Zango, Radda said his administration is ready to work with the coalition to end insecurity.
Triumph learnt that during the engagement, participants deliberated extensively on the challenges facing the North and the way forward.
