The North East Governors’ Forum (NEGF) has raised concern over the influx of bandits in some states in the sub-region.
The concern is contained in a communique issued at the just-concluded 8th meeting of the forum in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The Forum, which called for the Federal Government’s urgent intervention, said the bandits were those flushed by the military in other parts of the country, who were now moving towards the sub-region, particularly Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba States.
“While acknowledging the relative success recorded against insurgency, a new dimension of growing banditry is added to worsen the security situation in the sub-region”, the communique stated. The Forum called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene to address the issue.
It also raised concern over the proliferation of illegal mining in the region, which it said was becoming a problem because of the link between mining activities and insecurity, particularly the abuse of the mining leases.
The NEGF urged governments, at all levels, to enforce compliance with the provisions of local content as contained in Nigeria’s Mining Policy and the need for strict compliance with the provisions of the Land Use Act. The communique also urged the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) to be more pro-active with the issues of development in the sub-region.
The meeting was attended by the governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno and Yobe States, while the governors of Gombe and Taraba were represented by their deputies.
