In one voice on Monday, the North wrote off the #EndSARS protest as a “subversive action” intended to divide Nigeria.
The region said hijackers of the protest who vandalized, looted and burnt public and private properties, were seeking to change the Muhammadu Buhari government outside the ballot box.
These are the highlights of the meeting of North’s governors and traditional rulers, top federal government functionaries led by Chief of Staff to the President Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
The parley was attended by Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu, Senate President Ahmad Lawan and House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Idris Wase.
The meeting canvassed the censorship of social media use given “the devastating effect of the uncontrolled social media in spreading fake news.”
It cautioned protesters against further action in Abuja and said all efforts should be made by the government to secure the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the national assets there.
It was the first major coordinated reaction to the #EndSARS protest and its aftermath from the region whose youths largely declined to join the push for the scrapping of the police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
However, when the protest turned to looting of public and private warehouses and homes, youths in states like Plateau, Taraba, Adamawa, Kaduna as well as the FCT joined the action.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, described yesterday’s meeting as the first leg in the series of engagements as directed by Mr President.
“The Chief of Staff will also address governors, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in other parts of the country.
“The president has directed that the delegation should engage with governors, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youths and others,” he said.
The minister said those at the forum had fruitful discussions, which comprehensively centred on the recent events in the country in the last two and half weeks.
“We made far-reaching decisions and we are happy that the governors and the traditional rulers did very well in ensuring that the youths understood the real issues.
“Because of their influence, there was very minimal destruction,” he said.
Mohammed added that apart from the resolve to continue to engage the youths, the meeting underscored the role of traditional rulers and the need to engage them continually.
The communiqué of the meeting read by Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, called for roles to be given to tradition rulers and reiterated the indissolubility of the country. It condemned the attack on persons and protesters and the burning of places of worship.
The communiqué said the meeting “appreciates the roles of Traditional rulers in containing the menace of Endsars protests in the North and collectively agreed that traditional rulers be given formal roles in the governance architecture of the country.
“The meeting rejects and condemns the subversive actions of the EndSARS protest. The superlative agitations and other change-regime actions outside the ballot box soon take advantage of the peaceful protests to push for their seperative agenda.
“The meeting endorsed the indivisibility, indissolubility and oneness of the nation.” The meeting took note of the devastating effect of the uncontrolled social media in spreading fake news. Therefore, calls for major control mechanism and censorship of the social media practice in Nigeria.
“Meeting raises attention on the need to keep strict watch on the Federal Capital Territory to guide against unwarranted and destructives protests to safeguard critical assets of the nation.
“Meeting commends the National Assembly and the Presidency in being proactive in addressing the issues of EndSARS protests across the country.
“Need to further push for amicable resolutions of ASUU strikes to enable students resume their studies.
“The meeting appreciates the role of religious leaders, such as the Ulamas, JNI and CAN for their positive interventions in resolving the Endsars conflicts.
“Calls for collective effort in addressing the lingering challenges of the North e.g. Almajiri system, insecurity, illiteracy, poverty, etc
“Meeting noted and appreciated the far-reaching efforts of Northerm States Governors’ Forum in taking proactive measures to address the Endsars protest in the country and the North in particular.
“Equally Forum notes with satisfaction the actions taken by the governors to revive the economic fortunes of the region, particularly during the post COVID-19 period.
“Forum appreciates the roles of National Assembly in engaging the youths and other critical stakeholders of the nation in resolving the Endsars conflicts. Forum appreciate Mr. President and his Cabinet for the quick intervention
in meeting the demands of the Endsars protesters and resolved to give him the rolls maximum support as he reles out measures to address the lingering challenges of youth unemployment, banditry and Boko Haram insurgency in the country.
“The Forum also appreciates the roles of the youth for their response to the EndSARS, in curtailing the spread of hooliganism, thuggery and other separatist tendencies.
“Forum appreciates the major reforms going on in the Police Force and pledges to support Mr. President on this course. The Meeting resolves to support the Nigerian Police Force to serve the country better and calls for the strengthening of trust between the people and the Police.
“The meeting expressed concern over the low level involvement of relevant stakeholders in the implementation programmes of government and calls on the relevant Agencies to review implementation strategies to make for maximum impact and benefits.
“Condemned attacks on persons and properties of especially persons living in other parts of the country. Also condemned attacks and burning of places of worship in some parts of the country in the name of Endsars protests.”
“Meeting resolved that there is the need for regular meetings of this nature.
Calls for further engagement with other critical stakeholders such as religious leaders, business community, youths leaders etc. Accordingly, the meeting approved the setting up of two major engagement committees:
(a) Committee on roles of traditional Rulers Membership:
(i) Emir of Lafiya as Chairman
(i) Two Representative from the National Assembly;
(ii) 1 Representative from each of the three zones
(iv) 1 from federal Executive Council.
(b) Committee on Youth and Civil Societies
(i) Emir of Zazzau as Chairman
(i) one representative each from Geo Political zones
(ii) 1 each for the youth Geo political Zones
(v) 1 representative of women / girls
(vi) One each of Muslim and christian clerics
(vii) Persons living with disability:
(viii) Business Community
(ix) Representative of the Inspector General of Police.
These engagement committees are to commence work immediately.
In attendance at the meeting were Governors Malam Nasir El-Rufa’I (Kaduna), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Bello Matawale (Zamfara), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Abdulrahman Abdulrazak (Kwara), Governor Sani-Bello (Niger), Governor Yahaya (Gombe), Deputy Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Nasiru Gawuna and Deputy Governor of Katsina state, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu.
Chief of Staff to the President Ibrahim Gambari, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Deputy Speaker House of Reps Ahmed Wase, Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, Minister of Information Lai Mohammed and FCT Minister Mohammed Bello.
Traditional rulers Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Bayero, Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Ahmed Bamalli, Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Gambari, Emir of Gwandu, Emir of Bauchi, Emir of Fika, Emir of Hadejia, Emir of Lafia among others.
