The Northern Elders Forum has commended troops of the Operation Lafia Dole for successes recorded in counter terrorism war in northeast Nigeria.

The Chairman of the forum, Ambassador Maitama Sule led other officials and members of the group in a solidarity visit to Borno State.

The group was received by the Borno State governor, Kashim Shetima, at the Executive Council Chamber of the Borno State Government House.

Ambassador Sule recounted that the last time the group visited three years ago they were caught up in a sudden declaration of a state of emergency in the northeast due to deteriorating security situation in the region.

“We have come to thank God for what he has done to us, in Nigeria not only to you but also to all Nigerians. I thank you and the Federal Government led by Buhari for being so determined, for standing firm and making sure that by the grace of God we came to the end of this atrocity.

“We thank the military and above all, we thank the Ulamas; I keep saying for all their prayers for peace and stability,” he told the governor.

The leader of the group further advised the state government to bridge poverty and unemployment gaps and shun injustice as the only way out of crisis.

“If you have peace you will have development. If you have development people will be empowered, there will be no trouble; for an idle mind is the devil’s workshop and this is what we have to avoid in the future. We must empower people. We must create jobs. We must develop the country and make sure that people have something to do,” Ambassador Sule.

He also encouraged members of the Northern Governors Forum to constantly engage and cooperate towards ensuring a more developed north.

“I’m glad to say the Northern Governors Chairman are on the right track. All you need to do is bring your heads together and plan collectively so that you will develop not only the north but the entire country. We want a united north in order to contribute to the unity of the country.

“By uniting the north we are only starting from the known but we will go to the unknown; from the familiar to the unfamiliar. We want the unity of this country but we have to unite ourselves at home.”

The Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum who is also the Governor of Borno State bemoaned the absence of national consciousness.

“Nigeria is gradually being divided along two lines. A much more stable and prosperous south and a north that is a basket case. A north that has become another word for disaster, which is why we are calling for a meeting of the Northern Nigerian Governors Forum along with all the chairmen of our Traditional Councils in all the 19 states of northern Nigeria.

Recently, troops of the Operation Lafia Dole sacked terrorists from their last bastion in Sambisa forest. (Channels TV)

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