Govs condemn Nyako over letter to northern colleagues

The enlarged security meeting convened by President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday condemned Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State for a memo he sent to his co-Northern governors accusing the Federal Government of genocide against the region.Participants at the meeting, especially state governors, were therefore warned against making inflammatory remarks that could further compound the already deteriorating security situation in the country.The meeting also extracted an assurance from the military that everything possible would be done to rescue all the schoolgirls abducted in Chibok, Borno State.The fate of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states that have been under emergency rule for close to a year was however not discussed at the meeting which lasted about seven hours.Minister of Defence, Aliyu Gusau; Governor Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Governor Theodore Orji (Abia), Governor Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of themeeting.Orji said, “The memo that was written by one of our colleagues, that is Governor Nyako of Adamawa State was discussed and there was a very unanimous condemnation of that memo.“All officers and people in positions of authority were advised to be cautious of what they say, that what they say should at least enliven every person and make us to know that this country belongs to all of us and not something that will demoralise us,not something that will excite of incite people to gothe negative way.”Gusau said the meeting, which was attended by state governors and heads of all military and paramilitary agencies, discussed the overall security in the country, which included the insurgency in the North-East, cattle rustling and kidnapping among others.He said the conclusion was that the Federal Government would do everything in its power in collaboration with state and local governments as well as all Nigerians to see that the security challenges were put under control.“The conclusion is that the Federal Government will do everything in its power in collaboration of states and local governments and everybody to see that we put it under control.“Security is everybody’s business, it is not only theresponsibility of government. Every individual should be security conscious,” the minister said.Aliyu said those who attended the meeting asked Nyako to read his widely-publicised memo to those in attendance which he did.At the end, he said they concluded that leaders must be cautious of what they said at these trying times.