The Northern Elders Progressive Forum and Northern Professionals Development Group have commended President Bola Tinubu over the ongoing military operations, especially the air strikes in major terrorist hideouts in the North West.
The groups also appealed to the northern political elite, religious and traditional leaders to create an environment of political understanding, unity and mutual respect for one another in the region.
In a communique jointly signed by the chairman and secretary of the group, Dr Usman Sani and Comrade Yusuf Abubakar Dingyadi, at the end of the two-day meeting Sunday in Kaduna, the groups warned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against being used as a political tool to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of some respected politicians of northern extraction.
They said the commission should not allow itself to become a tool of political vendetta, blackmail or intimidation against any individual through personal grudges, persecution and campaign of calumny to tarnish the image of certain personalities or any perceived political enemies.
Part of the communique said, “While we commend the efforts of the new leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under Mr Ola Olukoyede in the fight against corruption, we have no doubt that the new EFCC boss will stick to the standard of the operation of the commission.
On military airstrikes on bandits’ hideouts, they said, “The air strikes and ground operations in Sokoto, Zamfara and some parts of Kaduna and Niger states have yielded much success, which has tremendously forced the majority of them to leave their enclaves looking for shelter.
“While praying for continued peace and political cohesion in our region and the nation in general, we appeal to the northern political elite, religious and traditional leaders to create an environment of political understanding, unity and mutual respect for one another.
“They should not allow political differences to destroy our common interest. unity, and survival of the region,” they said.
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