Boko Haram: ACF Knocks Jonathan

The North through its apex socio-political organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum, (ACF), yesterday, September 11, criticised President Goodluck Jonathan, accusing him of being insensitive. Members of the organization who are not happy with the way President Jonathan’s administration is handling the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast in ‘an open letter to Mr. President on security situation in the North’, listed their grievances against the present administration, The Nation reports. In the letter which was signed by the ACF Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, a former Inspector General of Police, and Secretary JIP Ubah, a retired colonel, the ACF described as worrisome Jonathan’s nonchalant attitude to the plight of northerners who have been at the receiving end of Boko Haram attacks. The organization is of the opinion that the crisis in the north is a ploy to punish them and neutralise its advantages and potentials by permanently destabilising the region. READ ALSO: Goodluck Jonathan Denies Traveling To Chad With Ali Modu Sheriff The letter reads in part: “We are left with no option but to strongly believe that a covert war is being waged against the North. “The spate of assassinations, murder, arson, destruction of lives and property of innocent citizens in the North East in particular and the entire North in general has continued unabated and assuming an unprecedented gravity and ferocity, it is looking more like an agenda being executed sequentially and successfully too.” They accused the government of failing to investigate and prosecute persons widely believed to be involved in the insurgency, even after the recent revelation by the Australian negotiator Mr. Steven Davis who fingered Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff and Gen. Ihejirika as Boko Haram sponsors. They criticized the President who declared a National Emergency on Ebola Virus which has just claimed a few lives with a whooping N1.9bn, while there was a greater catastrophe of killings, maiming, abduction, rape and displacement of many Nigerians taking place daily in virtually all states of the North, and he has not deemed it fit to declare a National emergency. READ ALSO: APC Reveals How Jonathan, PDP Benefit From Boko Haram The ACF gave a 3-point way forward which are: •Jonathan should put a “halt to the brazen seizure of Nigerian territories and confront the insurgents decisively. •He should constitute a high powered team to investigate persistent allegations of complicity now echoed by Stephen Davis against Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, former Chief of Army Staff Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika and others ; and •Implement recommendations of three panels – the Sheikh Lemu, Gaji Galtimari and Tanimu Turaki – set up on the insurgency. President Jonathan has come under severe criticism of late from Nigerians on his actions and in action over the spate of terrorism in the country.