THESHIELD Garkuwa
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By S. Adamu, Sokoto
IN line with the saying’ security is everybody’s business’, the Catholic Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah , a proponent of justice, fairness and peaceful coexistence, urged northerners to brace up against the raging insecurity threatening the region.
The Southern Kaduna born Cleric who over time has been at the forefront for peaceful coexistence in the region said northerners should join hands to fight the demon head on in inorder to guarantee confidence in unity between and among communities and the different sects as measure to further promote peace in the northwest and entire northern region.
The Catholic Bishop made the call while speaking during a high level extra ordinary town hall meeting for the promotion of peace and security held at Command Guest House, Sokoto in collaboration with Global Rights and other Internation support groups.
According to the cleric , the initiative was driven for implementation by the two bodies to deploy strategies for increasing access to justice , promoting peace and democratic processes in the northwest sub-region as well strengthen civic participation and peace building with emphasis on Kaduna and Sokoto states.
He explained that the project’s drive was being implemented by Global Rights and the Kukah Centre with support from CSSF, Nigeria Stability Programm of the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office(FCSO).
The religious leader remarked that in the past, the northwest sub-region was being noted and considered for its relative peace and safe for residents was now a reference part for insecurity in the country.
” Today is where banditry and terrorism have dwelled with alarming but significant challenge that requires urgent depletion inorder to advance the rights and voices of women, children and others”, he pointed out with concerns while further noting that instability in region was threatening to put women’s issues on the back burner and debase the gains achieved on gender development over the years as the cleric addressed participants at the meeting.
Speaking, Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto who remarked that the state was bedevilled by security challenges said soon the state will overcome the menace.
Aliyu further added ” the current security challenges give way soon. We are fast bracing and doing everything humanly possible to ensure responsive support and working synergy with security agencies in the state is sustained for them to achieve the needed success against all kinds of crimes across the state.
However, the governor described Bishop Kukah as a man of integrity and honour who’s drive and believed in one and indivisible Nigeria as an entity with diverse affiliations.
