The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has vowed to drag President Goodluck Jonathan before the international Court of Justice (ICJ) if a case of extra judicial Killings is established in Baga, Borno State.
Also, NEF called an northerners to rally round a northern President aspirant saying that can only revive the lost glory of the region.
At a separate meeting with Borno state Elders Forum and the Borno state Governor, Kashim Shettima respectively NEF revealed that a team of Lawyers have been put in place to visit Baga town and come up with their findings that will enable the forum take the next step to the ICJ
Speaking on behalf of the forum Alhaji Ango Abdullahi who stood in for the Chairman, Alh. Maitama Sule said the killing of innocent civilians in Baga town is grossly unacceptable pointing out that the necessary findings must be made to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
Prof. Abdullahi a former Peoples Democratic Party PDP) member said the Forum have already started mobilising all northerners to have a consensus cadidate that will protect and project the interest of the North ahead of the 2015 presidential election.
” The NEF has no political party no candidate , our party is the people of the north, so join us in this fight to take back power in 2015″
“We are not happy that the north is not playing active role in the present day. That is why we decided to bring together our surviving elders. We resolved that something must be done, that the north ought to do more than it currently doing now in the affairs of the country. You know the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) is a socio-cultural group but in the current situation now in this country, we need more than a socio-cultural group to adderss our challenge and that is why we came with the formation of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF). Our group believes that any discussion that will not bring back power to the north in 2015 is not in the interest of the north and its people” Abdullahi said.
NEF had accused the northern governors and others political heavy weights in the north for voting massively for President Jonathan describing their actions as a ” stupid Mistake ” which should not repeat itself in
2015
” We now know where the lapses are and we are going to tackle the governors of the northern states, we have the population and all it takes to produce the next President of this country” Abdullahi said.
The former Vice Chancellor noted that north was responsible for its present political and economic woes and the if urgent steps are not taking by all stakeholders from the region “to take over power in 2015, ” the north may never have the opportunity to be in power in Nigeria again”
“This crises is the fault of northerners, with due respect, we have derelicted in so many ways, we allowed Obasanjo to come into power and he dealt with us severely, but we can still change things in 2015. It is better late than never. The north must rediscover it self as soon as possible.
Also speaking a member of the Borno elders Alh. Bulama Mali Gubio accused NEF of abandoning Borno and its people all this while only to come now and starts preaching the unity of the Northern region after so many lives have been lost.
” At some point,I do not consider my self a northerner or even a Nigerian because of how we were so abandoned to our faith.
Meanwhile, Suspected Boko Haram members had shortly after the Emergency Rule Declaration by President Goodluck Jonathan shot dead the secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in Borno State, Rev Faye Umar Pama in his house in Maiduguri.
The Chairman of CAN Borno State Rev. Titus Pona confirmed the incident to some Christian faithfuls.
Rev. Pama who is the presiding pastor of Rhema Assembly, Maiduguri was trailed to his house around the GRA area at about 7.30pm by two gunmen.
“He attempted to run away but his assailants were closed on him. They
(gunmen) shot him at close range,” his neighbours said
Media aide to Rev Ayo Oritsajafor, CAN National President, Kenny Asaka confirmed the incident adding that the President of the association just received the report with “heavy heart.”
“The Borno CAN secretary has been killed. We’ve got the report and the national president received it with heavy heart. It is very sad,” he said.