Disagreement In North Over Ultimatum To Jonathan

FOLLOWING the October ultimatum purportedly given to President Goodluck Jonathan by the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) to rescue Chibok schoolgirls and bring an end to Boko Haram insurgency or lose the support of the North in the 2015 presidential election, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the forum has thrown its weight behind the president and his war against terror.



In an apparent repudiation of NEF’s position, NEC said in a statement issued by the spokesman of the council, Ambassador Yusufu Mamman, in Abuja on Wednesday, that rather than criticise the president, northern leaders must continue to support the effort to bring the insurgency to an end.

The elders’ council admonished against politicising terrorism, which it noted was a global phenomenon and stressed the need for all Nigerians to cooperate with security agencies to put an end to the menace.

The council stated its appreciation and support for the Federal Government in the fight against insurgency and “also appreciates the timeline as agreed by the council of states towards ending the insurgency and similar criminal activities across the country on or before the end of the year.”

According to NEC, “it is necessary to also appreciate our security agencies for their untiring effort and sacrifice to end the senseless killings of our fellow citizens. Terrorism, as we are aware, is a global phenomenon and any attempt to politicise it will not augur well for our country.