The Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF), has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to seek help from within and outside the country to address the escalating insecurity, spreading like wild fire across the country.
In a statement on Wednesday in Kaduna, Chairman of NOSCEF, Mr. Ejoga Inalegwu
said the country must not be left to go the way of Somalia, ruled by warlords, with a reign of lawlessness.
Inalegwu said “NOSCEF views with great concern the escalating insecurity, spreading like wild fire across the nation and shaking the very foundation of the nation’s existence.”
He said the new trend of targeting students “is most condemnable” and appealed to the President “to seek every available aid, both internal and external to reverse the trend before we lose our beloved country, Nigeria.”
“The country must not be left to go the way of Somalia, ruled by warlords, with a reign of lawlessness, as we see ourselves already drifting into.
“We also condemn the attacks on the military and security outfits in various parts of the country.
“These weaken the institutions that still hold us together as a people, at the cost of their own lives. We sympathize with the families of military, police and other security personnel, who lost their lives sacrificially, in the course of their duty of defending their fatherland”, the statement said.
The forum commended the Benue State Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, for exposing criminal elements as well as his commitment in helping the military authorities to fish out those involved in the killing of soldiers in the course of their lawful duty.
NOSCEF also urged the military, police and other security outfits to remain undeterred in their commitment to seeking an end the security challenges confronting the nation.
On the efforts to mop up all arms, NOSCEF called on the Buhari to ensure that the excercise is “wholesome and must not be implemented with any bias that will make those who comply become even more vulnerable to criminal attacks.”
“The implementation team must be broad-based to win the confidence of all and not limited to any favored segment of the nation.
“NOSCEF urges Nigerians to continue to fast and pray for God’s intervention, for with God, nothing is impossible”, the statement added.