By Luminous Jannamike, Abuja

Socio-cultural organizations, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, have just ended a meeting in Abuja.

The agenda of the closed-door meeting centred on improving security and livelihood of Northerners in the South East and Igbo people living in the North.

NEF’s Ag Convener, Amb. Yahaya Kwande, and the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. George Obiozor, co-chaired the meeting.

As the meeting rose, a terse communique signed by both leaders was made available to journalists on Friday.

It reads in part, “The meeting discussed matters around the improvement of security of communities living all over the country. In particular, the matter of security and livelihood of Northerners in the South East and Igbo people living in the North was discussed.

“Other matters related to strengthening the unity of the country and steps which need to be taken to address disaffection with the nature of our Federal system and the entrenchment of the values of justice, equity and fairness for all Nigerians into our basic structures, processes and laws.

“The meeting noted the need to improve the capacities of security Agencies to deal with threats to the country. It noted the need for President Buhari to be more open to the legitimate clamor of Nigerians for more substantive changes in the structures of our country.

“The meeting noted the damage of misperceptions, deliberate misinformation and the alienation of particularly young people from mainstream economic and political activities are feeding restiveness, fear and distances between Nigerian people.

“Also, the meeting noted the value of elites and elders engaging in sincere and constructive activities to build bridges and recover lost ground which is hurting all Nigerians. So, It resolved to sustain the gains of the meeting and explore additional opportunities to improve understanding and goodwill between the North and South East and all Nigerians.”