TheCable

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has appointed Ango Abdullahi as its board of trustee (BOT) chairman and convener of the forum.

Abdullahi was a former vice-chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

In a statement on Thursday, Mohammed Bello Kirfi, NEF’s implementation committee chairman, said the decision was taken at an extraordinary meeting held on Wednesday.

Kirfi said the forum also ratified the appointment of the already existing 21 members of the BoT and appointed the management board.

The forum now has Sani Zangon Daura as deputy chairman from north-west, Paul C Tarfa as deputy chairman from north-east and Yahaya Kwande as deputy chairman from north-central.

Members of the management board are Mohammed Goni as chairman, Patrick Adaba as vice-chairman, Yima Sen as director general/CEO, Hakeem Baba Ahmed as director/ member, Sam Nda Isiah as director/ member and Bashir Sodangi as member.

Others are; Sale Maina, Bitrus Dangiwa, S Bogoro, N A Shariff, M B Wali, Bello Suleiman, Sani Aminu Dutsinma, Safiya Illiyasu, and Halen Jekelle.

The forum also lamented the state of insecurity in the country.

“NEF wants an immediate and complete end to these unfortunate happenings and will work with government, other community and civil society organisations, traditional rulers, political leaders and the clergy to ensure that peace returns to the North and to Nigeria,” it said.

“In particular, NEF wants to see a total end to killings across the country.

“NEF would also like to see the introduction and application of modern livestock management practices in order to protect herdsmen and farmers, their families and communities, and enhance their quality of life.”