Chuks Oyema-Aziken
A peace advocacy group, Northern Development Movement (NDM), has welcomed the recent parley of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor with critical stakeholders drawn from 5 local governments of Southern Kaduna.
The CDS during the visit met with community leaders and representatives of various groups to seek solutions to the incessant attacks in the area.
Those who spoke during the stakeholders meeting were representatives of Fulani, Atiyap, Hausa, Kagoro and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) as well as Jamatul Nasir Islam (JNI).
Others include representative of the traditional rulers, rep of Members of the House of Representatives and House of Assembly, senator representing Kaduna South, rep of retired senior officers and president southern Kaduna peoples Union
NDM in a press release on Thursday commended the DHQ for the initiative describing it as timely.
The press release signed by the Convener, Ismail Nasir Bako and Secretary, Patricia Gambo urged communities in the north to support the Armed Forces of Nigeria bring an end to the various crisis which has affected socio-economic development.
According to NDM, “The North is bleeding, not just Southern Kaduna. Our March towards development has been hampered. It is time stakeholders realise the enormity of what we have done to ourselves.
“We cannot continue on this path. It will definitely take us years to recover from the damage the crisis has caused.
“NDM is making a passionate appeal to all in the region to give peace a chance. We also urge politicians to play with rules of the game as the 2023 General election draws near.
“NDM also commends the DHQ which took this peace initiative to Plateau State in 2021.
In the search for peace, the CDS also met with retired senior military officers from the different geopolitical regions to discuss ways out of the current security challenges in the country.
