The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has cautioned religious, traditional and political leaders to refrain from inflammatory statements in order not to worsen the tension in the region.
This was contained in a communique issued on Wednesday in Kaduna, after the first meeting of the newly elected national working committee (NWC) of the ACF headed by Audu Ogbeh, a former minister of agriculture.
The forum asked the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to “arrest the deteriorating security situation” in the north.
According to the communique which was signed by Emmanuel Yahwe, its spokesperson, the ACF also called on the governors of northern states to pay adequate attention to agriculture.
“Northern states should take advantage of the N75 billion loan to farmers in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing in Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL),” it noted.
“Unemployment has become a big menace to the northern region. State governors are advised to design employment schemes for our teeming youths who have become frustrated and pose an additional threat to the security of the north and the country.
“State governors are also advised to key into programmes of the federal government designed to offer employment to the youth and alleviate poverty.”
