In a joint effort to address the ongoing killings and destruction of lives and property in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria, leaders from four of the country’s six geopolitical zones have written a letter to President Bola Tinubu. The leaders, under the Southern and Middle Leaders Forum (SMBLF), have urged the President to take immediate action to curb the violence, which they believe poses a threat to the country’s unity.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has also echoed similar concerns about the rising insecurity across the nation. The NBA has called on President Tinubu to implement radical security and economic policies to tackle the issue effectively.
The letter, signed by Chief Edwin Clark, the leader of SMBLF and South-South leader; Chief Ayo Adebanjo, leader of Afenifere; Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide; Dr. Pogu Bitrus, President of Middle Belt Forum; and Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, National Chairman of Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), emphasizes the urgent need for the President’s intervention.
The leaders have stated that the continuous killings and ethnic cleansing in the Middle Belt and other regions of Northern Nigeria have clearly shown that the Nigerian state, its government, and security forces have failed in their duty to protect citizens. They argue that it is the primary responsibility of the government to ensure the security and welfare of its people, as stated in Section 14(b) of the 1999 Constitution.
The letter also highlights the misconception held by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who believed that conflicts within the North-West region were due to tribal and religious differences. The leaders have clarified that the North-West is a diverse region with various ethnicities and that the ongoing violence is a result of the Fulani’s desire for new territorial control and power. They stress that this territorial expansion poses a significant threat to other ethnic groups, particularly the majority Hausa population, who have wrongly been perceived as indistinguishable from the Fulani.
The leaders express their disappointment in the current administration, claiming that it has taken a deceptive approach to the issue by labeling the violence as “herders/farmers’ clashes” and the armed ethnic militias as mere bandits. They urge President Tinubu to acknowledge the truth behind the violence and take decisive action to protect the lives and welfare of all citizens.
It is hoped that President Tinubu will heed this call for urgent action and prioritize the resolution of the insecurity crisis plaguing the Middle Belt and other regions of Nigeria. The leaders of thought and the NBA have emphasized the severe threat these killings pose to the unity and future of the country, making it crucial for the President to address the issue promptly and effectively.
