Northern Elders React To Locking Down Communities in The North Over Insecurity

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has spoken against shutting down communication and imposing curfews in some parts of Northern region over insecurity.

As part of their efforts to tackle insecurity, some state governments had shut down schools and markets.

The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), had also instructed all telecommunications companies to shut down their services in Zamfara state

Reacting to the development in a statement on Sunday, NEF spokesperson, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed said the measures will compound living conditions in the northern region and embolden criminals.

The statement reads: “Northern Elders Forum is closely following the condition of many Northern communities that have become particularly vulnerable to attacks and abuse by bandits, kidnappers and related organized criminals,”

Also Read: Zamfara Government Set New Measures To Curtail Insecurity

“Measures being taken by some State governments such as suspension of weekly markets, restrictions on sale of petrol, closure of schools and some roads, curfews, movement of cattle and plans to restrict communication will compound the desperate conditions of living of many communities in the North.

“While it will be unhelpful to criticize these measures without adequate knowledge of their potentials to relieve the desperation under which people live, it is important nevertheless to demand that those who have powers to impose them also have clear ideas over what they could achieve and when.

“These measures represent virtual economic and social lockdowns on people who had been at the mercy of criminals for a long time.

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“Unless they are accompanied by an aggressive and effective assault on the banditry and kidnapping industry, they will merely add to the misery and hopelessness of our communities.

“Worse, they could further embolden the bandit and the kidnappers when it becomes clear that governments and security agencies cannot go beyond lockdowns on communities.

“Communities themselves will lose even more faith in the capacity of the Nigerian State to respond to their desperate circumstances.”