The Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has commended the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) for its contribution towards addressing the security challenges being experienced in the region.

Samuel Aruwan, Spokesman for the governor, on Monday in Kaduna, said the governor stated this when he received a delegation from ACF who paid him a courtesy call at the weekend at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.

Mallam Nasir said ACF’s plan to organise the Summit in Kaduna is coming at a time the north is battling with the spate of insecurity ranging from cattle rustling, kidnapping, rural banditry and reprisal attacks in different parts of the region, saying the summit will help in finding solutions to the unfortunate circumstances the region is facing.

He assured the ACF delegation of the support of the state government towards the success of the summit because of its importance.

The Deputy Chairman of ACF, Alhaji Liman Kwande, who led the delegation, told the governor that ACF as a socio-cultural group for all northerners is worried by the rise in security challenges in the region. The group has therefore seen the need to organise the Security Summit in Kaduna towards finding a solution to security challenges in the region.

“The recent attacks by suspected herdsmen on some communities in the Godogodo chiefdom, where lives were lost, properties destroyed, and most importantly trust among the communities severely damaged, are most condemnable. The rampant kidnapping of innocent people along Kaduna-Abuja expressway among others is of great concerns to us.

“These threats to our peace, as a region and collectively as a people, must be addressed by both the government and socio-cultural groups like ACF. Therefore, to respond to these serious security challenges, the ACF thought it necessary to organise a Northern Security Summit, where stakeholders will be invited to openly discuss the various forms of insecurity and proffer workable solutions.”

ACF said they are in Kaduna to seek the support of the state government towards successful hosting of the Summit, asking the governor to also canvass for support from other state governors.

•Photo shows Governor El-Rufai.