After failing to set up the botched northern security organisation, “Operation Shege Ka Fasa,” leaders of the Coalition of Northern Youths (CNG) have concluded plans to float another ouitfit known as “Arewa Security Marshalls”.
They said the decision to establish the proposed outfit followed the rejection of the Northern Security Initiative code named “Shege Ka Fasa” by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC’s).
Speaking with news correspondent yesterday, spokesperson of the coalition, Suleiman Abdulazeez, said since it was denied registration by the CAC, the CNG decided to file for another name, Arewa Security Marshalls, which is awaiting necessary action by CAC.
The CNG, a major pressure group in the North, said when it resolved to establish the regional security outfit codenamed ‘Shege Ka Fasa’ on January 16, 2020, the decision was turned down by those who felt it was an exercise in futility.
The coalition lamented that the good intention of its leaders was frustrated as northern governors, traditional and political institutions rejected the proposal to review, ratify and possibly adopt the “Shege Ka Fasa’ initiative which it said would have helped in forestalling the current drift toward victimization of northerners.
The group however said it had been vindicated by the recent surge in security challenges and victimization of northerners.
Abdulazeez stated: “The unfolding scenario in the country whereby northern communities are constantly under threat of general and pervasive insecurity at home and profiling and harassment where they live as minorities in southern part of the country is a strong vindication of our January 26, 2020 initiative for a northern regional security outfit codenamed “Shege ka Fasa”.
“Last year, CNG called the attention of northern leaders to the need for a northern regional security outfit to promote security in the region and to anticipate and checkmate the likely fallout of the evolvement of similar outfits like the Amotekun in the South West that were pregnant with complications and unforeseen consequences.
“Regrettably, northern governors, traditional and political institutions rejected the proposal to accept, review, ratify and possibly adopt the “Shege Ka Fasa” initiative which would have helped in forestalling the current drift towards victimisation of northerners.
“We went through several legal processes to achieve the actualisation of the outfit, including seeking registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission and recognition by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, which were all frustrated.
“We eventually got a notification from the CAC for the recognition of Arewa Security Marshalls which we are studying. We have also instructed our legal team to look at other options that may not preclude seeking the intervention of the courts in the matter.
“Today, the CNG stands vindicated with the manner the outlawed IPoB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is deploying the South East security network on innocent citizens as well as the emerging threats of the Amotekun in the South West.
The CNG spokesman continued: “Quite unfortunately, the northern establishment which rejected the ‘Shege ka Fasa’ initiative is yet to come up with an alternative framework to compliment the current isolated approaches to the incessant killings and general insecurity in the region that are not yielding results.
“Quite unfortunately too, most northern states governors appear desperate to silence any genuine move to initiate a unified action against the security situation in the region as shown in many instances when state-sponsored non-state actors were unleashed against well-intended meetings of stakeholders in particularly Kaduna.”