The Jam’iyyar Mayan Arewa, an umbrella body for women in the North, has called for a national conference or referendum to address the spate of insecurity, killings and banditry ravaging parts of the country, especially the North.
Since the emergence of Boko Haram in 2009, Nigeria has variously suffered spates of attacks, insurgency, banditry, but recently the insecurity has become heightened with kidnapping and killings coupled with threats of secession in the South.
The women, while protesting the spate of killings, carried placards with various inscriptions such as, “#Stop Banditry in Arewa”, “#Stop killing Northerners”, “#Safe Arewa”, “#Referendum is the answer”, and “#Jaw Jaw not War War” among others.
Addressing the media on Wednesday in Kaduna, President Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa, Hajiya Rabi Musa Saulawa said, “Our beloved country is today sadly at the precipice. The Northern part of Nigeria has become the epicenter of a perennial crisis of epic proportions from all fronts. The North is endowed with untapped human and natural resources that can propel Nigeria as a super power.
“Regrettably, for the past 12 years, the North has been under a relentless onslaught by Boko Haram insurgents and of recent incessant banditry, herders, farmers’ clashes of unknown origin with its attendant impact on the socio-economic development of the region and the country at large.
“While commending the government for its untiring efforts to tackle the hydra headed security challenges in the country today, we are convinced that the concerns being raised by certain sections of the country can be addressed in a civilised and peaceful manner than resorting to violence, killings etc. to forestall a total breakdown of law and order, which could lead to a precarious situation we all don’t pray for.
“The well known tolerance and perseverance of the North should not be taken for granted.”
