A group under the aegis of the Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development has urged governors in the Northwest to show political will to fight banditry and other vices causing insecurity in the zone.
The Executive Director of the group, Sani Shinkafi, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.
He said that organizing peace and security summits and conferences within and outside Nigeria were not the solution to the insecurity confronting the zone, but rather political will and pragmatic actions.
Shinkafi noted that the geopolitical zone had the largest landmass and 30 percent of the country’s total population.
He added that from the First Republic, the Northwest zone has produced prominent citizens who have served in various capacities in the federal government, yet the region remains grossly undeveloped and lags behind in education.
“The zone has the largest number of out-of-school children and the highest number of Almajiris, poorly equipped schools, hospitals, bad roads, etc. The zone is neglected by past and present leaders.
“Agriculture, which is the mainstream of the region, is neglected despite the abundant, fruitful landmass.
“There is no political will to engage in large-scale farming. Certainly, there is no commitment from state governors in the region to invest in commercial farming and livestock development.
“The region has abundant solid minerals, including gold, copper, rhodium, gemstones, kaolin, barites, and lithium.
“Sadly, there is no political will to develop these mineral resources since the discovery of oil,” he said.