The enlarged rescheduled National Security Council meeting on Thursday unanimously condemned the memo written by the Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, to his co-Northern governors accusing the Federal Government of genocide against the region.
The meeting also harped on the need for cooperation between all tiers of government in fighting the security challenges in the country, rather than abandoning all the work to the Federal Government.
The Adamawa State governor had written a memo to governors of the 19 northern states, accusing the Goodluck Jonathan administration of using terrorism to cause genocide in the North.
Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji; who briefed journalists alongside Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; Niger State Governor; Babangida Aliyu; Borno Governor, Kashim Shettima; Minister of Defence, Aliyu Gusau; and the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati; said government officials were cautioned against inciting the citizenry with their statements.
“The memo that was written by one of our colleagues, that is Governor Nyako of Adamawa State was discussed and there was a very unanimous condemnation of that memo.
“All officers and people in positions of authority were advised to be cautious of what they say. That what they say should at least enliven every person and make us to know that this country belongs to all of us and not something that will demoralize us, not something that will excite or incite people to go the negative way,” Gov.Orji said.
The Abia governor further said the meeting recognised that security issue is not for the Federal Government alone but “should be a cooperate issue, handled corporately by the Federal Government, State and Local Government.”
“When there is a synergy, obviously progress will be made,” he said, adding that the meeting also agreed that at the state level, governors who are chief security officers have to do a lot to help because that is where the security issue is.
“In so doing, the state governors should mobilize their radio houses in other to sensitize the people in the state so that they will be aware of this security situation”.
He said the meeting agreed that the Boko Haram menace “is not a religious war, people should not misrepresent it to be because both Muslims and Christians are being killed. It doesn’t discriminate against any person”.
Governor Fayemi also told journalists that the meeting harped on the need for information sharing between security agencies. “Data should be shared across the board amongst security agencies. Holistic approach (should be adopted) in curbing terrorist activities including the anti-poverty approaches,” he said.
He noted that the meeting focused on Chibok stating that the security agencies agreed that they will do everything possible to ensure that the abducted girls are rescued from their abductors.
Fayemi added that the meeting stressed the importance of ensuring capacity building of media organisations so that security sensitivities of those issues are addressed.
Gusau said the meeting, which was attended by state governors and heads of all military and paramilitary agencies, discussed the overall security in the country, which included the insurgency in the North-East, cattle rustling and kidnapping among others.
He said the conclusion was that the Federal Government would do everything in its power in collaboration with state and local governments as well as all Nigerians to see that the security challenges were put under control.
“The conclusion is that the Federal Government will do everything in its power in collaboration of states and local governments and everybody to see that we put it under control.
“Security is everybody’s business, it is not only the responsibility of government. Every individual should be security conscious,” the minister said.
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