Former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar has called on Nigerians to join hands in tackling the incessant killings and criminalities by herdsmen and other bandits across the nation.
Describing the killings as senseless, Abubakar said the ongoing destruction of homes and means of livelihood cannot serve any purpose.
Answering reporters’ questions at his Abuja residence at the weekend, Abdulsalami advised every Nigerian to be prepared to play a role in ensuring peace and stability in the land.
He spoke shortly after a closed door meeting with a delegation of the Northern Leaders and Stakeholders Assembly (NLSA) led by Alhaji Tanko Yakasai.
According to him, without peace there would neither be a nation nor politicking, urging the task should not be left to the federal government alone.
Abubakar said: “I have no other advice than to keep the peace, because it is paramount to everything.
“If there is no peace, there is no nation, if there is no peace, there won’t be any politicking.
“So it is absolutely necessary for each and every one of us to put hands on deck to ensure that there is peace in the country.
“And all these senseless killings, senseless criminality going on won’t serve any purpose. Please, let us join hands and make sure that we give peace a chance”.
Urging Nigerians to assist the authorities with relevant information and intelligence, the former Head of State said there was need to establish whether the killers were Nigerians or foreigners.
He charged Nigerians to expose killers and criminal bandits in their midst in any part of the country they may find themselves.
“Well, I wonder at people when they start asking this question (how to stop the killings). Every Nigerian has a role to play to bring peace to this country.”
Also speaking with journalists after the meeting, a member of the Northern Leaders and Stakeholders Assembly, Hadjia Inna Ciroma, said the formation of the group was informed by the search for peace in the troubled North.
According, to her, leaders and members of the group have been approaching former Nigerian leaders and other elder statesmen for support and encouragement in tackling the incessant killings and banditry in the region.
_____
Follow us on Twitter at @thesignalng
Copyright 2018 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant sources.
