Jamiyyar Matan Arewa has called on president Muhammed Buhari, members of the National Assembly to immediately hold a referendum in other to put a stop to the predicament that has over time bedeviled the northern people who live outside or within the region.
Elsewhere, they said the executive head and the legislative members to with a matter of urgency reconvene another National conference that will serve as a follow-up to the 2014 confab held in the country.
Talking with a troubled mind, the voice of the northern women in a statement issued by the president of the group, Haj. Rabi Musa Saulawa affirmed to Journalists that enough is enough.
Hajia Saulawa lamented that the northern part of Nigerian has become the epicenter of the perennial crisis of epic proportions from all fronts, noted that the people are not spared at home, and also some particular regions geopolitical zones where they feel would be safe are targeted, thereby not spared as well.
“Regrettably, for the past 12 years, the north has under a relentless onslaught by Boko Haram insurgents and of recent incessant Banditary, Herders farmers clashes of unknown origin with its attendants impact on the socio-economic development of the region and the country at large
To further compound matters, Northerners are now profiled, attacked, intimidated, killed, and often receive hostile reception in the southwest and south East Geo-political zones, we are all witnesses
She said, “Today the JMA (Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa), the voice of northern women are calling on His Excellency president Muhammed Buhari, the leadership of the National Assembly to immediately consider the following options: Reconvene a National conference as a follow-up to the held in 2014; The issue of the Nigerian state has been a subject of discourse for sometimes now, we feel the concerns can be channeled through the elected representatives of the National Assembly to be thoroughly debated as required under a democratic dispensation; or Better still hold a Referendum”.
“From time immemorial, and the current Boko Haram siege, women have been at the receiving end of orchestrated hatred, senseless killings, and kidnapping rendering us as untimely widows, victims of rape and abuse and our children orphaned”, she lamented.
Continuing, the group through its president expressed concern that the northern region is the most educationally and economically backward geopolitical zone with the highest poverty rate in the country, stressed that the current situation in the north and the accompanying agitations in the south are major impediments and distraction to the development aspirations of the people in other to bridge the gap as it were and efforts towards national integration.
Saulawa reiterated this has to stop, explained that in a democratic dispensation there are laid down procedures and processes to address national concerns or agitations of some sort.
She said the northern people known for accommodating others from other parts of the country to live in peace, was forced to ask why others cannot reciprocate the gesture to live in peace with them.
However, while commending the government for its untiring efforts to tackle the security challenges in the country, the group were been optimistic that the concerns being raised by some people of the country would be addressed in a more civilized and peaceful way other than resorting to violence.
