Terrorist Label: Northern Elders Give Condition for Proscribing Bandits
- The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has revealed its position regarding the call to label bandits as terrorists
- A statement by the NEF's spokesman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the group will support the call if it will address the nation's security crisis
- Speaking further on the security crisis in the country, the NEF said the Boko Haram insurgency remains a major threat
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The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has said it will only support the calls by some Nigerians that the federal government should label bandits as terrorists if it will lead to improved security.
Leadership reported that the northern elders said the authorities should go ahead with the labelling if will substantially improve the capacity of the Nigerian state to eliminate the security crisis.
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Legit.ng gathers that the NEC's spokesman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, made this known in a statement released on Wednesday, November 3.
Boko Haram remains a major threat
The group said Boko Haram insurgency continues to be a major threat in the northeast while kidnapping and large-scale banditry in many other parts of the north are taking over lives of large portions of the population.
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The NEF also noted that the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is threatening to eradicate the influence of legitimate authorities in the South East.
It advised the government to be sensitive to the possibility of severe food shortage in the next few months in many northern communities.
The forum regretted that arguments over labelling of bandits as terrorists, saying it is a waste of attention and energy.
Governor El-Rufai backs NASS, urges Buhari to declare bandits as terrorists
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state said the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari should declare bandits in the northwest region as terrorists.
He made the appeal after receiving the third quarter security report from the commissioner of internal security and home affairs, Samuel Aruwan.
El-Rufai speaking at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna on Wednesday, October 20, maintained that the declaration would allow the Nigerian military to attack and kill bandits without any major consequences.
Source: Legit.ng
