The Northern Elders Forum, NEF, on Monday
identified “lack of a strong will at the level of the presidency, deep-seated corruption incompetence
in governments and in the management of security
challenges” as major factors fuelling the Boko
Haram insurgency. The body also advised President Goodluck
Jonathan to bring an end the insurgency in all its
manifestations and produce the Chibok girls before
the end of October, 2014, saying In the event that
he failed to do so, Nigerians would be left with the
only conclusion that he had forfieted his right to ask for their mandate beyond 2015. In a communique issued at a press conference in
Kaduna, NEF said after a major review of the state of
the nation, it resolved to continue to offer ways to
resolve the country’s current political, economic,
security challenges, and also facilitate the
emergence of a more united, secure and prosperous nation out of its present limitations. The statement obtained by DailyPost was signed by
Barrister Solomon Dalung and Dr Hakeem Baba-
Ahmed, OON, both NEF prominent members. It reads: “The security situation in our nation today
represents the most serious threat to our individual
and collective lives in our entire history. The reality
is that the threats posed by what appears to be an
insurgency that has many manifestations and
defies a clear and consistent identity is growing due to the absence of a clear national consensus over
its nature, and it solutions. “The lack of a strong will at the level of the
presidency to fight it, as well as deep-seated
corruption and incompetence in governments and
in the management of our security challenges has
allowed a band of terrorists to take and hold vast
parts of our land and populations hostage, while every citizen lives in fear that they will be its next
victim. “The Northern Elders Forum does not believe that
the Nigerian military cannot defeat these terrorists.
We also reject the notion that multiple internal
security challenges such as attacks on villages,
ethno-religions conflicts and banditry springing up
by the day in many parts of the north are all a coincidence. Indeed, we are convinced that most of
these conflicts are being engineered to weaken the
North politically and economically by interests
which intend to exploit such weaknesses for
electoral benefits. “In the light of our firm conviction that the
insurgency and related security challenges pose
threats to the 2015 elections and the survival of our
nation, we strongly advise President Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan to bring an end to the insurgency in
all its manifestations and produce the Chibok girls before the end of October, 2014.The circumstances
under which our fellow citizens in and around
Gwoza in Borno state in particular live and die will
not be tolerated by any people who have a
government and a leader sworn to defend them,
and they must be reversed immediately. In the event that President Jonathan fails to do this,
Nigerians will be left with the only conclusion that
he has forfieted his right to ask for our mandate
beyond 2015″. They added that, “The Northern Elders Forum calls
on the President to immediately set up a Judicial
Panel to investigate the recent killing of over 30
members of the Islamic Movement in Zaria. The
internal investigations by the military in an event in
which soldiers are involved will not meet the minimum standards of fairness and acceptability.
The Forum reminds the nation that it was the
murder of Muhammad Yusuf by the Nigeria Police in
2009 that formed the major point of escalation in
the activities of the group(s) known today under
the generic term of Boko Haram. We also call for a thorough investigation into the attempted
assassination of General Muhammadu Buhari and
Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, and the publication of the
outcome of these investigations. “The Forum notes that the state of security and
economic challenges of the North are deteriorating,
in spite of its wealth of leaders and elders who
should use their God-given privileges, power and
influence to affect a reversal of these dangerous
trends. It is no secret that the vast majority of Northerners lament their marginalization, insecurity
and poverty, and blame it in large part on the
inability of unwillingness of its past and present
leaders to utilize all access to power which they
enjoy, to bring us redress and relief. General
Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, General Muhammadu Buhari, General Ibrahim Badamasi
Babangida, General Abdussalami Abubakar, Alhaji
Atiku Abubakar, Architect Namadi Sambo, General
T.Y Danjuma and all retired Chief Justices of Nigeria
from the North represent grossly under utilized
assets of the North. “The N.E.F joins millions of Northerners in appealing
to these leaders to raise their levels of involvement
in the fortunes of our region in every endeavour or
fora they are involved. In these difficult days when
every hand must be on deck, if these leaders
cannot visibly help to transform the fortunes of the North in the next few months, they will leave
northerners with the damaging impression that
they have abandoned the region and the people to
its seemingly irreversible decline and ultimate
destruction. “The Forum took stock of the performance of
northerners at the National Conference, and
commends the commitment of the vast majority of
the delegates to the core interests of the north and
the unity and survival of our nation on principles of
equity and mutual respect. The N.E.F appeals to all leaders from other parts of the country to
discourage tendencies which suggest that some
parts of our federation are dispensable and
undeserving of respect. “The Forum has noted with relief the cessation of
plans to single out northerners in many parts of the
country for treatments which humiliate them and
deprive them of their rights to live and work in any
part of Nigeria. While commending the maturity and
foresight of northern leaders which informed the restraints against retaliatory and other negative
measures, the Forum appeals to young persons
from the north to resist the temptation to operate
by the very low standards of responsibility set by
others. These young northerners should be
reminded that their legacy includes the heroic efforts of their forebears to build and sustain this
nation to its present state, and they did this in the
face of massive provocations and threats. The
Forum places on record its appreciation for the
prompt response of President Goodluck Jonathan
to appeals for decisive action against profiling and other threatening actions against northerners in
some states in the southern parts of the country. “The Forum invites attention of Nigerians to the
critical role which the 2015 elections will play in the
future of our nation. We call on all leaders and
political parties to demonstrate the highest levels of
commitment to the rule of law and the demands of
the electoral process. At all cost, the 2015 elections must be free and fair. This means that any threat
which may provide a cover for militarising the
electoral process must be eliminated before the
elections. Every part of Nigeria must participate in
these elections, and no citizen should be deprived
of his right to vote under any excuse. “The Forum is concerned that political
developments in some states which involve
removals, threats or attempts to remove elected
persons are being informed by partisan interests
seeking advantages towards 2015. These are
dangerous antics which will deepen violence and other acts of desperation by politicians. The Forum
urges the convening of a genuine summit of
political leaders and parties to create or reinforce
consensus around the imperatives of security of the
electoral process, and ensuring that 2015 elections
are spared from widespread disputes”.
http://dailypost.ng/2014/08/11/breaking-northern-elders-give-jonathan-october-deadline-end-boko-haram-insurgency%e2%80%8b-produce-chibok-girls/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

GEJ has been given an ultimatum to solve a problem they created. hmmm

Very very funny.

The north can't be pleased.


He was soft and they called him clueless.

Even before now, we were winning this war when this same Arewa group raised alarm that a genocide is being commited against them. They threatened Ihejirika with charges bordering on war crimes.

He went ahead to declare a partial state of emergency and they cried foul.

They aided and encouraged these boko goons on their nefarious acts against the Nigerian state, and now they are calling for what exactly?

voltron: GEJ has been given an ultimatum to solve a problem they created. hmmm

I tire ooooo

Lol

They are now tired now

But they told GEJ to withdraw military personnels about 3yrs ago

BH take over far North and impose your Sharia

Can u imagine? Wat stops u 4rm talkin to ur children to stop killing derself n other innocent ppl.

Reasonable demand.

They started it, they wanted it, now they can't control it.

Waiting...

No no no no! They re getting it wrong. They should direct this to dia god of d north BUHARI n not GEJ. Afterall all geopolitical zones knew peace until he vowed to mek it ungovernable as it is in d north now.

Ok

They have failed to realise one sad truth;
POWER WILL NEVER RETURN TO THE NORTH!!! NEVER!!!

If the ultimatum pass make we see wetin den go do!!!
If they want…they can create their own country and make their EMIR the president… nobody will miss them!

They are all silly. Aren't they behind it afterall?

Meanwhile

If problems could be solved by giving ultimatum then Nigeria would have progressed to a very great extent considering the fact that many ultimata have been given on different issues in the past.

I am not a fan of Jonathan, but I find it funny when even the so called northern leaders see Boko Haram as Jonathan's sin. I thought Jonathan should be the one giving the northern leaders ultimatum as far as BH issue is concerned.

Waoh, see all dis boko haram sponsors giving d president ultimatum. D fowl will soon come home to roost.

Toktee: thunder fire you,was it the north that killed muhumed yusuf,next time read b4 u coment.

meshonu!! Was Muhammed Yusuf a law abiding citizen like me when he was sent to the world beyond?? criminals!!!

southerners? noise makers. 2015 will tell

story for the gods, are they just waking up

voltron: GEJ has been given an ultimatum to solve a problem they created. hmmm

Is it too hard to make use of ur brain? supporter of APC kid

Look @ them.

The Northern Elders should be ashamed of themselves. They and their people are part of the reason the Boko Haram situation exploded beyond all measure.

Many Northerners were sympathetic to the Boko Haram cause in the early days because they believed BH were fighting the cause of Islam and that only non-muslims and govt people were targets.But Boko Haram have since shown that everybody is now a legitimate target. The chickens have come home to roost and now they are crying foul.

Do you my fellow nairalanders not remember when the same Northern Elders in 2012 put out page after page in all the main newspapers condemning govt forces for killing Boko Haram members in the North. Then the Northern Elders referred to them as northern youths who were marginalized and frustrated. I'm not against any of my fellow Nigerians but we must speak the truth when we see it.

There is a proverb that says "The man who lets a snake dwell in his household,will one day cry tears of regret".

The boko haram wey dem start?

[size=18pt]When Boko Haram was bombing churches and shooting Christians at random, they did not ask for ultimatum...Now that BH has turned against them, they are giving ultimatum...USELESS ELDERS BARKING LIKE TOOTHLESS DOGS[/size]

Toktee: thunder fire you,was it the north that killed muhumed yusuf,next time read b4 u coment.

Computer Mallam.. eat bitter kola before you talk- When Mohammed Yusuf was arrested in 2009, he named the then governor of Borno, Ali Modu Sheriff as a major financier of Boko Haram. Very shortly after his revelation, Yusuf was taken from custody and was driven to a deserted area. With his hands still shackled, he was told to walk to another vehicle. The man knew what was coming and so he shuffled along inch by reluctant inch. Halfway through his trudge, bullets rained down on Yusuf. That was that. - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/03/boko-haram-2/#sthash.SqaMuweJ.dpuf