Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has called on northern leaders to unite and create initiatives to end banditry and kidnapping facing the region.
Alhaji Bello Matawalle stated this during an annual lecture organized by Arewa Media Writers Association in Kaduna.
Represented by a former Zamfara State Information commissioner Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji, explained with concerned the lingering security challenges confronting the region while attributing it to lack of unity among the leaders which allowed the criminals had a filled day.
“Unless we all wake up to the situation, the war against banditry in the north west will remain a challenge that has the potential to swallow the region and the country at large.We need to get to the roots of the situation and stop politicizing it” he said.
The Governor cautioned the Northern leaders to as a matter of urgency set aside their differences to bring out solutions to the problem or the region would be swallowed beyond rescue.
“It is evident, therefore, that we, the leaders, are responsible for the plight of the North. The North lacks responsible leadership to steer it through our time’s uncharted waters.
“Our ruling elite has no vision for the region beyond gaining political power. We have all seen how the elites in the Southeast and Southwest respond in unison to all matters concerning their regions’ development.
“We have seen how they have a defined agenda and are relentless in their pursuit of regional development”, Matawalle also noted.
In a remark, National Secretary of the Association Haider Hashim said Arewa Media Writers was established for public enlightenment on peaceful coexistence, unity and understanding among Nigerians.
‘It is an amalgamated group of different members of teeming youths who are mainly users of social media, seasoned journalists and public affairs analysts with a vast interest in politics, national development and cohesion from the Northern region” he explained
Radio Nigeria reports that over one thousand youths across the nineteen Northern states including Abuja attended the annual event.
Cov/Teddy Daniel, Kaduna