The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Dr. Mainasara Kogo, has called for aggressive military action against bandits and terrorists in Nigeria, including the bombardment of nine forests across the North.
Speaking at the 2025 Sir Ahmadu Bello National Annual Memorial Conference held at the Arewa House in Kaduna on Saturday, Kogo emphasised the need for decisive action to tackle terrorism and insecurity across the region.
The conference, which attracted dignitaries from the North, was with the theme: ‘Nigeria’s Leadership for National Cohesion and Stability, Under The Contemporary Governance.’
The CCB Chairman, who was the guest speaker on the occasion, noted that in order to address the security challenges, the nine forests in northern Nigeria that provide shelter to terrorists be bombed to ashes by the military.
He identified the forests as Sambisa(Borno) Mandara mountains(located in Lake Chad), Falgore forests(Kano), Rugu forests(Katsina), Sabon Birni forests(Sokoto), Dansadau,(Zamfara) Birnin-Gwari(Kaduna) and Kontagora(Niger) and Birnin Kogo forests in Katsina states.
According to him, once these forests, which harbour the bandits and terrorists are bombed, the activities of these hoodlums would automatically cease.
Umar said, “The nine bushes that provide shelter to the terrorists in northern Nigeria (the Sambisa, the bushes around Mandara mountains up to the enclave of Lake Chad, the Falgore forests, the Rugu forests up to Shinkafi, the Sabon Birni forests, the Dansadau down to Birnin Kogo forests, the Birnin Gwari, the Kontagora to Yau’ri back to Funtua), must be bombed into ashes! This will automatically kill the terrorists and deny the remnants of the shelter they get from the bushes.
“Then, turn the area into belts of industrial commercial agriculture, which will take care of the 2nd terrorist (hunger) through bumper agricultural production, which will equally gain employment for our teeming unemployed youths.
“Then create industrial farms with a network of roads, farming housing settlements, the nucleus of which will spring up new hamlets and towns Then cluster industries will spring up, e.g. textiles, confectioneries, noodles, factories, flour industries, oil milling factories, will beef up economic activities that will gain foreign exchange earnings for the country.”
The CCT chairman also called for a comprehensive overhaul of the nation’s security architecture while recommending the creation of specialised security bodies, such as “National Border Security Police, National Ports Police, National Airports Police, National Cyber Crime Police, and National Anti-Terrorism Police.”
He also emphasised the importance of auditing security spending over the past 20 years to ensure accountability and transparency.
The CCT boss said, “Punish the guilty; punish the perpetrators e.g. several container loads with Arms and Ammunition have, at different times, been arrested, apart from the informants and international collaborators, but to date, we do not know if anyone has ever been convicted. The leadership in Nigeria must be ready to punish.
“Re-jig the security architecture; the President should unbundle the provisions of Section 153 of the Constitution that provides for the National Security Council, the National Police Council and the National Defense Council and make the councils to create the following security bodies:
National Border Security Police, National Ports Police, National Airports Police, National Cyber Crime Police, National Anti-Terrorism Police
“After this, incorporate all the changes in sections 214 – 216 of the Constitution, which gives the power of territorial internal security to the Nigeria Police and sections 217 – 219 of the Constitution that says the police can seek reinforcement from other security formations if the problems before them are overwhelming. In short, leave the police to coordinate all matters of internal-security.
“We want a comprehensive audit of all the monies released for security in the past 20 years. By the time you audit all the monetary spending vis-a-vis what is on ground, you then find out why despite ‘purchase of drones’, Torcanos, and no rat has visibly been brought to public glare.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the National President of Gamji Heritage, Ahmed Abdullahi, called on Nigerians to unite and find lasting solutions to the country’s pressing challenges.
Abdullahi highlighted the achievements of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, including transformative institutions and projects such as Arewa House, Ahmadu Bello University, and the Kainji and Jebba Hydroelectric Projects.
“Our commitment to progress remains unwavering. With Allah’s guidance, we will overcome these challenges and build a stronger, united Nigeria,” he said.
Other speakers at the conference included the Vice Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Ambassador Ibrahim Mai Sule; Justice Mainasara Kogo Umar; and the Director-General of the Centre for Democratic Development Research and Training, Zaria, Prof. Abubakar Mohammed.
By Godwin Isenyo
