Northern elders commend Jonathan on war against terror

Members of the Northern Elders Council have expressed support for
President Goodluck Jonathan for the role they say the President is
playing to end terrorism in the region.

They also commended the security agencies, saying that their
activities at restoring peace into the troubled region was appreciated
by the people of the area.

Spokesperson for the group, Amb. Yusufu Mamman, who addressed a press
conference in Abuja on Wednesday, called on Nigerians to know that
terrorism is not a respecter of either religion or tribe.He called on
all Nigerians to, separately and collectively, join hands with the
Members of Council of State and the Federal Government in the
collective fight against insurgency.

Yusuf said, "The Northern Elders Council appreciates and supports the
efforts of the Federal Government in the fight against insurgency. It
also appreciates the timeline as agreed by the Council of States
towards ending the insurgency and similar criminal activities across
the country on or before the end of the year."It is necessary to also
appreciate our security agencies for their untiring effort and
sacrifice to end the senseless killings of our fellow
citizens."Terrorism as we are aware is a global phenomenon and any
attempt to politicize it will not augur well for our country.

"It is time that we understood and fully appreciate the danger posed
by this menace so that we put all hands on deck and cooperate with
government and our security agencies towards ending the scourge."

The Nigerian former ambassador to Spain said that in order to ensure
that insurgency was nipped in the bud, President Jonathan said that he
would mobilize logistical and international support to ensure that
Nigeria's security agencies were fully provided of their needs to
motivate them in surmounting the challenge posed by insecurity.

He listed the establishment of the Presidential Initiative for the
development of the North East region and Insurgency Victims Fund as a
step aiming to cater for the victims and respond to the challenges
posed by insurgency.Apart from this, he said Nigerians must also take
note that the President held a meeting with the parents of the Chibok
girls recently during which he assured them of the safe return of
their children.