Politics
GOV. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State says the security challenges across most Northern states will be addressed if there is a defined constitutional role for traditional rulers.
Sule stated this in Lafia on Tuesday when he hosted officials of Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, led by its Chairman, Board of Trustees, Dr Muazu Babangida-Aliyu, former Governor of Niger.
The governor said that a defined constitutional role for traditional rulers would improve the security situation in the North.
According to him, government is able with necessary resources, to support them to discharge their given responsibilities.
“Nasarawa State is enjoying relative peace because the traditional institution has been key to the security architecture of the state.
“I believe in Northern Nigeria we can improve our collective security if we define the constitutional role of our traditional rulers and tell them exactly what they need to do.
“And instil this in the constitution and provide all the resources necessary for them to go ahead and do that.
“I think once we do that, we will bring back the ideals of the late Sardauna of Sokoto,” he said.
Sule called for synergy between governors and security agencies operating in the states, to promote peace in the country.
He commended the Foundation for its commitment to re-awaken the values and ideals associated with the late Sardaunan Sokoto, who even after death, was still respected across the North.
The governor noted that even though the North now had 19 governors, challenges of unity, education and relevant development still persisted.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Foundation, Babangida-Aliyu, decried the security situation across the Northern states.
Aliyu therefore called on leaders from the region to come together to address the challenges facing the area.
“Governors of the North must be able to unite the people, give them a sense of belonging and secure their lives and property.’’
The BoT Chairman called for the establishment of an independent think-tank for the North that would be able to truly dissect the problems of the region objectively.
Babangida-Aliyu used the opportunity of the visit to highlight some activities of the foundation, especially scholarships to indigent students from the region, to study medicine, ICT and agriculture in Nigerian universities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the BoT Chairman was accompanied on the visit by Malam Ibrahim Shekarau and Rear Adm. Murtala Nyako, former governors of Kano, and Adamawa states as well as former SSG, Niger, Prof Muhammad Kuta-Yahaya, among others. (NAN)
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Tags: GOV. Abdullahi Sule Malam Ibrahim Shekarau Prof Muhammad Kuta-Yahaya Rear Adm. Murtala Nyako Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation
