ACF hails northern governors’ Security Trust Fund initiative

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has described the establishment of the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund by the Forum of Northern States Governors as one of the most significant regional initiatives in recent years, saying it is a landmark initiative designed to mobilise additional resources to support the fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of violent crime that have afflicted Northern Nigeria for far too long.

The ACF said the initiative reflects a shared commitment by northern governors to strengthen efforts to address the region’s persistent security challenges.

According to the forum, “It reflects a clear appreciation by the Governors that the security crisis confronting Northern Nigeria demands collective action, innovative thinking and sustained commitment that complement the efforts of the Federal Government and the nation’s security agencies. It is indeed difficult to overstate the importance of this initiative.”

The chairman of the ACF Board of Trustees, Bashir M. Dalhatu, said in a statement issued on Friday in Kaduna that the North, once renowned for its peaceful communities, thriving agriculture and vibrant commercial activities, now bears the scars of years of relentless violence inflicted by terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other armed criminal groups.

He stated, “Restoring peace and security is therefore the indispensable foundation upon which every other aspiration for economic recovery, social progress and national development must rest.

“The ACF believes that, if effectively managed and adequately supported, the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund will secure the financial resources needed to strengthen intelligence gathering, surveillance, logistics, communications, technological innovation, community-based security initiatives, victim support programmes and other strategic interventions that will significantly enhance ongoing security operations.”

The forum further expressed support for efforts aimed at ending insecurity and rebuilding Northern Nigeria, noting that the people of the region have endured crippling hardship for too long.

“They deserve to live in peace, cultivate their farms without fear, conduct their businesses safely and look to the future with genuine confidence and hope,” ACF stated.