Rise up and defend yourselves – CNG tells Northerners

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), has called on residents of states like Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina and Niger States, to consider defending themselves following a spate of renewed killings that saw over 500 people killed in one month.

The CNG, made up of 55 northern groups, while lamenting the surge of violence and killings in the North, said it was saddening that 500 persons were killed by terrorists and bandits in the states within four weeks and various governments and security agencies have failed to protect the people.

A statement issued on Monday by National Coordinator of CNG, Balarabe Rufa’i, said the situation in some parts of the North had reached an alarming state that the people must take steps to defend themselves from attacks which were becoming a pattern.

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“The Coalition of Northern Groups has reviewed the resurgence of violent attacks across some Northern states in the recent days with deep concern.

“We are deeply disturbed by the despicable and irrepressible decimation and elimination of our people; the destruction of their livelihood; raping and exploitation of our women and extorting our poverty-stricken villages and towns by terrorists.

“In the last few days, armed bandits/terrorists across four northern states of Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina and Niger, have killed scores of helpless and defenceless citizens in addition to multiple kidnappings and other forms of exploitations

“The stories are condemnably demoralising as over 500 innocent, defenceless and impoverished northerners were killed systematically in the last four weeks.

“In view of the above happenings, the CNG observed that: governments at all levels, particularly the Federal Government, has surrendered their rights and privileges to the bandits/terrorists as the bandits/terrorists operate parallel governments in villages and communities in Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina and Niger States, where they impose taxes and levies on the villages and kill people at will.

“The CNG, therefore, advocates concerted and strategic efforts to create an independent-community based security outfit that can be funded through community efforts, donations from wealthy individuals, friends and associates of the North among others to take the war against this imminent existential threat to the hideouts of the hardened criminals,” part of the statement said.