From Sidi Ibrahim Kaulahii, Gusau
The Northwest Youths Unity Forum (NYUF) has in strong terms called on the federal government to do whatever is humanly possible to stop the ongoing violence and bloodshed across the northwest states within 30 days, failure of which the forum threatened use of all lawful means to hold responsible parties accountable.
The ultimatum was declared in a communique signed by the forum’s Chairman, Murtala Ishaqa Jangebe, urging the federal government to designate and declare the Birom militia a terrorists group considering the merciless killings and displacement of innocent citizens they have allegedly embarked upon, as well as alleged destruction of legitimate property.
It cried that the northwest states have been suffering high rate of killings, rape, displacement of communities, cattle rustling and kidnapping which consumed billions of Naira in the name of ransom payments by the loved ones of the captives.
The communique which was made available to newsmen in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, further lamented that hundreds of communities have been sacked forcing them to take refuge in some states capitals across the northwest region, and local government headquarters.
It added that all the roads that linked the northwest states are not safe for commuting while many communities have become hell for living.
The communique further instructed Governors of the northwest region that included Jigawa, Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara states to, for the sake of tackling criminal activities, immediately recruit 2,000 Forest Guards per each state and provide them with formidable weapons to ensure an end to banditry and other heinous crimes.
