ADDRESS BY AREWA ELDERS FORUM ON THE OCCASION OF A COURTESY CALL TO HIS EXCELLENCY DR. GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR, PRESIDENT, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, STATE HOUSE, ASO ROCK ABUJA, WEDNESDAY 30TH MAY, 2012. 
 
Mr. President on behalf of this delegation of Northern Elders Forum I sincerely thank you for consenting to grant this audience.
This delegation of Elders from the 19 Northern states is here on behalf of the larger Assembly of Elders who recently met on a number of occasions to take stock of events in our country.
As you are aware, there are many groups in the North working to see that peace and development are returned to the region. The Northern Elders Forum is a complementary group with similar objectives. We sought audience with your Excellency tonight to discuss just two major issues among the many others the forum discussed during their several meetings. These are:
i.        Security challenges facing the country in general and the North in Particular, andii.        Certain developments and events which can constitute a threat to the unity and peace of the country. 
On security, the Elders are of the view that the current spate of violence and other variants of insecurity have several facets and dimensions which are interwoven with politics, economy, crime, ethnicity and religion.
Fully aware that the country cannot achieve any meaningful development without peace and security, the Elders wish to bring to your attention the following considerations;
ETHNO/ RELIGIOUS CRISES
The persistent failure of all governments in implementing recommendations of numerous panels of inquiry into ethno-religious crises over the years in all parts of the country have contributed to entrenching impunity on the part of those who continue to instigate these crises.
Mr. President, it is important that when Government sets up committees with great fanfare, usually composed of patriotic men and women of high calibre, their reports should be given due recognition and consideration. While we acknowledge the prerogative of Government to accept or reject such recommendations, we urge your Excellency to consider dusting up the various reports on ethno religious crises lying around with a view to implementing those recommendations which will help to bring an end to these crises.
 
BOKO HARAM AND OTHER FORMS OF MILITANCY
The Elders observed that Jama’atu Ahlil-sunnati Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad (commonly called Boko Haram), has been with us for over a decade now. However the escalation of violence by the original Boko Haram was as a result of misjudgment by the authorities which led to the poor handling of the sect’s activities in 2009 using excessive and disproportionate force leading to several deaths, including the innocent ones.
The Elders further observed that instead of a dispassionate appraisal of the Boko Haram phenomenon, the matter has been manipulated to assume numerous colorations, from religion to politics and from ethnicity to sectionalism. Thus instead of insolating the sect and what it stands for, the country is being forced to believe that it is at war.
Some have even irresponsibly peddled the mischief that the Boko Haram is the creation of Northern Muslims with frustrated political ambitions to make the country ungovernable and to put a permanent wedge between Christians and Muslims in the North.
While concerned seriously about the activities of the Boko Haram sect which we condemn in its totality, the Elders are equally concerned about the behaviour of the security personnel, especially of soldiers deployed throughout the North to preserve peace and protect lives and property. The most charitable interpretation of their mode of operation is unprofessionalism. Indeed, many are beginning to wonder whether they are on genocide mission.
In Maiduguri alone, available records indicate the figures of those that were killed by the JTF to be in the thousands, most of whom were first apprehended/arrested before they were extra judicially executed.
 
In the past fortnight alone, the JTF has razed to the ground not fewer than fifty houses in the neighbourhood of Shehuri North, Korongoso and Abbaganaram Wards of Maiduguri. And lately, they similarly burnt many houses and executed a number of people, not far from the Governor’s family house because an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was set off nearby.
The University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, for example, recorded those brought in dead (B.I.D) into their mortuary by the JTF between the month of January and December, 2011, as six hundred and thirty five. With the ever worsening reports of the JTF operations in Maiduguri since the beginning of 2012, the figure would even be more alarming. For, as at the middle of February 2012, the same hospital had recorded sixty five people killed by the JTF and deposited in their mortuary. Hundreds more others went unreported, having been privately buried by their families.
These figures do not capture those that were delivered by the JTF to the Mortuary of the State Specialist Hospital Maiduguri. The same goes for those that were allegedly dumped in mass graves on the outskirts of Maiduguri.
Evidence abounds of instances when, some of the corpses deposited at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital Mortuary bore no indication of being killed by shooting. In these instances, some experts observed and concluded upon examining the corpses that they were in all probability either hanged or strangled to death. Many corpses also showed evidence of being starved to death, as they were reduced to mere skeletons by the time they were brought to the hospital.
Reports also have it that, currently, the JTF is holding on to thousands of people, mostly youths, in various secret detention centers all over the country under dehumanizing conditions, including, allegedly, one underground detention cell where the inmates are said to be on a rationed feeding of half a loaf of
N 100 worth of bread per day, with four of them sharing a sachet of what is popularly called pure water per day.  
   
The ferocity of the operation of the JTF of recent has taken a new dimension with their engagement in acts of arson. Thus the JTF has now resorted to burning down private residences of people, in any neighbourhood where a suspected Boko Haram is or are claimed to reside.
These incidences of violence are not restricted to Maiduguri alone, as more emphasis is laid on Maiduguri for the fact that the Boko Haram threat is most manifest there. There have been many similar incidences in several parts of the North such as Kano, Damaturu, Gombe, Azare, Mubi etc.
It is perhaps worth mentioning the incident in Potiskum International Cattle Market which took place on May 2
nd 2012 when the market was raided in broad day light by a gang of unknown gun men, resulting in the death of hundreds of people and cattle. Many have wondered how such a large number of armed gang was able to pass more than five check points mounted by security forces within the radius of 3-4 kms from the cattle market. 
 
More disturbing is the fact that the attack happened twice in the same day, lasting for several hours without the security forces making any effort to intervene and it was left for the market people to repel the assailants.
Mr. President, there is clear danger to the maintenance of Law and Order when people lose confidence on security personnel and resort to self reliance to protect their lives and property.
All these support the growing disquiet of the International Community, especially the US, where the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton observed of the Nigerian security service, while reviewing Human Rights problems during the year, that they were responsible for wide spread abuses.
The Elders are of the view that there is an urgent need for the JTF to change their mode of operation to an approach that will engender mutual respect and trust between them and the generality of the populace whose co-operation they need to fulfill their lawful mission.  
We believe that this is the only way to isolate the Boko Haram group and deal with their criminal activities decisively and squarely.
And a good beginning in our view is for the government to reconsider the recommendations of the Borno Elders Forum, the Galtimari Committee Report, and the many others earlier submitted with a view to implementing the cogent recommendations therein.
 
THREAT TO NATIONAL UNITY
Apart from the direct threat to our national security which I have just discussed, the elders wish to observe that there is a resurgence of inciteful sectional, ethnic and religious rhetorics by persons, some of whom are holding high positions in society, condemning or disparaging whole groups or sections especially from the North. This creates ill feeling and disharmony, capable of injuring and eroding the unity of the country.
Most of these people, we observe, have access to Your Excellency or are not unfamiliar to Your Excellency. We are of the view that Your Excellency and your government have a special responsibility to reign in their provocative utterances so that the mutual trust and respect among our people that has held this nation together hitherto is maintained.
We firmly believe that if our destiny as a people to live as one nation is to be guaranteed, then provocative utterances would not serve our interest either as individuals or as our constituent parts. To embark on this journey of sowing discord amongst us must be discouraged.
Inevitably, in a big and diverse nation like Nigeria, there is always room to improve on the constitutional arrangement we have made for ourselves. We are always ready to participate in any initiative to improve on the present constitutional arrangement through dialogue or conference, to make a better future for our country.
As you will see from the main report which I will presently make available to your Excellency, the forum discussed many other national issues which are capable of disrupting our national unity and development.
A few of these which are fully elaborated upon in the Report, are as follows:
1.       Corruption in the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy is the bane of Nigeria’s socio-economic development. Government must be seen to be committed to tackling it head on.2.       Arbitrary and indiscriminate retirement of senior officers in the Nigerian Armed Forces, The Nigeria Police Force, The Nigeria Customs Service, The Nigeria Immigration Service and a myriad of other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).3.       Youth unemployment is a serious issue of concern: Government should provide jobs and means of livelihood to our teeming unemployed youths.4.       The suspicious relocation and creation of military installations and services from and in some parts of the country.5.       Downgrading of exploration activities for hydrocarbons in the North. The Elders urge that adequate budgetary allocation should be made available for the exploration and exploitation of the vast Oil, Gas and Solid Minerals already known to exist in several areas of the North. And the government should open this effort for participation by the entire international players who indicate interest.6.       Disparity in revenue allocation, which appears to ignore the constitutional injunction of promoting even development.7.       Disparity in appointments into the Federal Public Services. The present share of the North in the Federal service, now stands at only about 18%.8.       Gross disparity in the citing of federal capital projects as evidenced by the 2012 Federal Budget.9.       The break-up of the dialogue between the government and the Boko Haram group is unfortunate. The Elders recommend that the President should resume the talks as soon as possible. Clearly, it is now no longer credible to insist that government does not know who they are. The Elders further appeal that hostilities be ceased for a certain period by both sides, if necessary, unilaterally by the Federal Government to facilitate the resumption of talks. Contact removes conflict. What the tongue can undo let the sword not be used. “Jaw jaw, as Churchill said, is better than war war.”10.     Human Rights abuses: It is strongly recommended that, a vigorous collection and collation of relevant data on Human Rights abuses be compiled with a view to prosecuting offenders. Human Rights watch and local Human Rights activist are already doing this.11.     Lack of sanctions for promoters of violence: Government should consider the genesis of the violence in the North and those who have master minded, encouraged and financed the Boko Haram group, should be apprehended and prosecuted accordingly.12.     The withholding of Statutory Allocation of fifteen Local Government Areas under Emergency Rule. The Elders call on the Federal Government to release the withheld Statutory Allocations to enable at least salaries and basic services to be paid.   13.     Politicization of Anti-corruption war: Government should strengthen and depoliticize the Anti-Corruption Agencies to enable them discharge their constitutional roles more effectively.14.     The continuing closure of our borders has debilitating effect on Commerce and International Trade and the attendant hardship on the affected communities. The Elders urge the Federal Government to constantly keep in view the closure policy. Since the closure does not appear to have stemmed the flow of arms or insurgents, perhaps the borders should now be re-opened.    15.     Neglect of Agriculture: Both Federal and State Governments should pay more attention than lip service to Agriculture. The Minimum annual budgetary allocation to agriculture at Federal and State levels should never be below 10% for at least the next 10 years. Any country that can feed itself has half of its problems solved.16.     Desert encroachment: In view of the rapid desertification of the Northern Savanna and Sahelian areas of the North,` there is urgent need to establish a body to be called “ARID ZONE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION” to holistically tackle the looming catastrophe.17.     Dredging of the Lake Chad: The economic activities around the Lake Chad have deteriorated to such an abysmal level that the Elders urge the government to dredge the Lake to its previous levels. Additionally, government should speed up the dredging of the Benue River up to the border with the Cameroons.18.     Government should speed up the implementation of Mambila power project and reactivate the Kainji/Shiroro and Jeba Hydro-Electric power projects. There is urgent need for the projects to be accelerated.19.     While acknowledging the recurrence of farmers/herdsmen conflict in various parts of the North, we urge that the Federal and State Governments should collaborate to provide holistic solutions to the problems of adequate grazing reserves along gazetted cattle routes from the North to the South of the country.Finally, Mr. President we thank you for the audience and for listening to us patiently. May the Almighty God guide you as you steer the affairs of this great country of ours. Thank you most sincerely. Best wishes and happy anniversary.
 
Signed
 
Alh. (Dr.) Yusuf Maitama Sule
   (Danmasanin Kano)
For and on behalf of Northern Elders Forum