The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Northern Coalition Group, Nastura Ashir Shariff, attributed the persistent insecurity in Northern Nigeria to the lack of coordination between the Air Force and the Army.
Shariff made these remarks on Thursday during a Stakeholders Engagement on Security in Northern Nigeria, held in Kano, themed ‘Changing The Narratives of Insecurity in Northern Nigeria’.
The event brought together the CNG, artists, social media influencers, and bloggers to promote peace and security in the region.
Shariff highlighted the catastrophic consequences of the disjointed efforts between the Army and the Air Force in combating insecurity.
He recalled a specific incident where operational disagreements between the two military bodies led to the deaths of over 300 individuals in Zamfara State.
Shariff pointed out that their assessment of the banditry and insurgency situation in the north revealed a glaring absence of a coherent and effective strategy to address these issues.
He said, “The reason why insecurity still lingers in the north is due to lack of synergy between Air Force and Army. This is what caused the death of about 300 people in Zamfara state sometimes ago.
“This happened when the ground soldiers wanted to attack some bandits’ enclave, they informed the Air Force for a collaborative mission but because of disagreement with the Air Force, already this number of innocent lives were lost.”
Shariff further explained that the meeting aimed to engage artists and social media influencers, emphasizing their significant role in combating insecurity, particularly in the north.
He noted that the CNG believes entertainers possess the unique ability to effectively communicate with the society.
Shariff added, “Even the bandits can see your messages as they are on WhatsApp, TikTok, Facebook, and other social media platforms.
“And that is why after we completed our research on how to tackle the lingering insecurity in our region, we identified you as one of the critical stakeholders that would help significantly in the fight against the insecurity.
Shariff also mentioned that due to the insecurity, the group met with retired security personnel, presenting a blueprint that received their praise and approval for implementation.
The retired Assistant Director General of DSS and Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmad Katsina, earlier expressed concern over the numerous challenges facing the North, such as drug addiction, youth restiveness, banditry, kidnapping, and Boko Haram.
He urged entertainers to use their content to change the negative narratives about the Northern region, portraying it instead as peaceful and developed.
“This could work a great deal in attracting investors to come for our economic development. The narratives about North on social media is always negative. That is why you are engaged in order to change the narrative,” he said.
Meanwhile, the entertainers, in their individual remarks, pledged their full support towards achieving the set goals.
