Amid renewed violence and tragic killings in Plateau and Benue states, leaders from the Southern and Middle-Belt regions of Nigeria have issued a clarion call for urgent security reforms, including the creation of state police.
They also encouraged citizens to defend themselves in the face of what they described as “unrelenting genocidal massacres” carried out by suspected Fulani militias.
In a joint statement released on Friday, the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), comprising Oba Oladipo Olaitan (Afenifere), Dr. Bitrus Pogu (Middle Belt Forum), Senator John Azuta-Mbata (Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide), and Ambassador Godknows Igali (PANDEF), condemned the Federal Government’s continued inaction in addressing the persistent insecurity and displacement affecting their communities.
“The only crime of our people is being Nigerians living on their ancestral land,” the statement read. “In every community attacked, the Fulani militias not only destroy lives and properties but often settle on the lands, unchallenged by the very security forces tasked with protecting citizens.”
The leaders lamented that the most recent attacks, which occurred last Sunday in Zike and Kakpa villages in the Kwall District of Bassa Local Government Area, claimed the lives of at least 50 Irigwe people. This followed the earlier massacre of over 80 individuals in Bokkos Local Government Area, bringing grief and outrage across the region.
Describing the killings as planned and coordinated, the forum decried what they see as a failure of the Nigerian state to uphold its responsibility to protect citizens. “The latest bloodshed has pushed well-meaning Nigerians beyond the threshold of mourning into a call for decisive action,” the group declared.
They criticized the Federal Government for rejecting repeated proposals on restructuring, implementation of true federalism, and the establishment of state police. These are reforms they argue are crucial to restoring safety and autonomy to vulnerable communities.
“The Nigerian security forces, once respected internationally, are overstretched, worn down by multiple conflicts across the country,” the statement continued. “Yet, the government continues to resist practical solutions, including the end to open grazing and the creation of local policing structures.”
The leaders painted a grim picture of displaced citizens packed into camps, living as “rescued slaves,” with little hope of returning to their ancestral homes. Meanwhile, they say, the attackers remain emboldened by the apparent impunity and lack of federal response.
“This country has effectively surrendered parts of its territory,” the statement warned, “allowing territorial conquest under the guise of communal clashes, while pretending all is well.”
In a deeply emotional and patriotic appeal, the leaders urged Nigerians, especially those in besieged communities, to take ownership of their own safety. “Defend your lives. Defend your homes. Defend your lands. You have the right to exist in peace.”
© Ripples Nigeria