The National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) has urged the federal government to end the senseless killings in the country, saying that life is too sacred to be wasted.
The Chairman of NCTRN and Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar, made the call at the opening of the council’s General Assembly in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Mr. Abubakar called on the federal government to institute a high powered commission of inquiry to investigate the killings across the country.
The theme of the NCTRN assembly is “Community Policing as a catalyst to Crime Prevention: The Role of Traditional Rulers.”
He urged the federal government and law enforcement agents to rise up to the challenge of securing lives and property.
“As we are meeting, if what is happening is failure of governance, we will discuss it in details and come up with an appropriate report to help government and the Nigerian society,” he said.
According to him, the traditional rulers are capable of stating things the way they are without sentiment in order to move the nation forward.
“We existed before 1914, so we have seen it all. We are there permanently unlike the political office holders that have tenures.
“We must close ranks as traditional rulers to help build Nigeria;
“Let us build the comradeship we have among us down to the communities and let’s mean what we say, and say what we mean.
“Our coming together is unique. It implies that nothing can divide us. So, let us reduce the tension in the country because this is the time for statesmen to work for Nigeria.
“Let us stand and face the people that want to destroy our country,” he added.
The Sultan noted that Nigeria being part of the world, there could be external threats against her through the use of religion and ethnicity.
He urged the security agencies to always seek for the support as the royal fathers because they had the network to help them.
Also, the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, pleaded with the traditional rulers to put politics aside and work assiduously toward meeting the challenges in the country.
“Some sections of Nigeria are aggrieved and some feel oppressed; let us come together and take up this challenge so that no one will blame us.
“Let us put politics aside, engage in peer review, apply sense of right and wrong, and speak the truth.
“The responsibility lies on our head; we must stop the blame game and stop talking the talk but walk the talk,” Mr. Ogunwusi said.
Earlier, King Dandeson Jaja, the Amayanabo of Opobo and Chairman, Local Organising Committee, said that Nigerians were eager to hear from the traditional rulers.
Mr. Jaja urged the federal government and the royal fathers to rise above ethnicity and sentiments to tackle the challenges in the country.
“The federal government should tackle the economic challenges and deteriorating security situation in the country,” he said.
The Chairman of Rivers Council of Traditional Rulers decried the practice by which royal fathers depended on government sponsorship to organise their programmes.
He, however, thanked Governor Nyesom Wike for hosting them and assured the traditional rulers that their stay in Rivers would be memorable.
