From Alhassan Haladu, Yola
Governors of the North-East geo-political zone have identified the increasing cases of rape, kidnapping, insurgency and youth unemployment as some of the major challenges facing the region.
Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum, who is the chairman of the forum made this known while delivering his opening remark at the 3rd meeting of the forum on Thursday, at the Government House, Yola, Adamawa State.
Governor Zulum said some of the most alarming and worrisome challenges confronting the region remains the daunting issue of insecurity, which has been causing excruciating loss of lives and property in the sub region.
The chairman also harped on the need for the Federal Government to allow State governments prosecute suspected terrorists in their States.
He stated that one of the burning issues be-devilling the region are the emergence of criminal activities like banditry and kidnapping, the twin scourge assuming a worrisome dimension in the North-East, as it is becoming rampant and widespread. This, he said, has caused inter-state road travel to become virtually impossible for the people because of the palpable danger of abduction along most of the major roads.
On the almajiri issue, governor Zulum called for a total overhaul of the system to tackle its increasing effect on the overall socio-economic development of the society.
The governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe and the Deputy Governors of Taraba and Yobe States attended the meeting.
