Nigeria, April 22 -- A former senator, Kabiru Marafa, has asked the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle to withdraw his statement describing the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) as a "burden" and "paperweights".

Mr Marafa, who represented Zamfara Central Senatorial District in the Senate between 2011 and 2019, made the demand in a statement on Sunday.

The Minister of Defence recently said the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) is a political burden to the North and that most of the comments from the group are more or less a political paperweight trying to embark on a destructive journey that will bring the North to disrepute for the group's personal and selfish gain.

Mr Matawalle's comment is generating controversies among Nigerians esp...