From Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto
Ongoing killings in the North Central region, otherwise known as the Middle belt of Nigeria, are bids by the perpetrators to steal the land from the indigenous people and occupy it forever, the Middle Belt Indigenous Christian Ministers’Forum has said
The forum stated this via a statement by its National Chairman, Reverend John Nash.
Killings of indigenous people have continued unabated especially in Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kogi, Taraba, including southern Kaduna, among others.
The Forum’s statement reads in part: “The Middle Belt indigenous Christian Ministers’ Forum is inexplicably saddened by the persistent orchestrated acts of terrorism, banditry and killings as well as alarming displacement of innocent citizens within the Middle-Belt States of Nigeria as carried out by non-other than suspected Fulani militants, who continue to undermine the patriotic efforts of security agents under the current leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a man believed to save and transform the country into an amiable height.
“The Forum is perplexed by the ongoing attacks and killings in Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba, Kaduna, Kogi etc. which have resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives, destruction of property worth billions of naira, displacement of thousands of people left in consequential social dislocation, which is
unacceptable and therefore, condemnable”.
On why the killings continued, Nash wrote: “We are of a firm belief that these coordinated attacks and genocidal mission of the armed Fulani alongside their hired bandits and terrorists’ elements are with a sole aim of territorial expansionism intent, impoverishment and gross reduction of the voting capacity of the Middle-Belt States against the forthcoming 2027 general elections that is much likely not to be in their favor.
“This is equally condemned in its entirety as the Middle-Belt States are daily aware of this mission being sponsored as mastermind from the underworld, using the armed Fulani militants and bandits as their foot soldiers, equipped with sophisticated arms and large quantum of ammunitions to prosecute the ignoble task assigned by their high-profile sponsors.
“It is on the above issues that the Forum calls loudly on Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, be alive to its primary responsibility and decisively take the following actions:
“Protect the lives and property of all citizens, and other law-abiding individuals regardless of their ethnic, religious, or cultural backgrounds.
“Investigate and prosecute those responsible for these atrocities, ensuring that justice is served and perpetrators are held accountable otherwise the country is likely to be plunged into abysmal state, which we have never prayed for.
“Scale-up urgent humanitarian intervention including food relief, Medicare, bedding, roofing materials and trauma counseling programs so as to meet up the immediate pressing needs of all the victims of this terrorism declared by enemies of humanity within the region.”
The Forum continued: “We unequivocally appeal to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to do everything within your capacity to unravel the sponsors and foot soldiers of these dastardly acts so that no stone is left unturned in addressing the underlying security issues bedeviling our dear country, particularly the Middle-Belt Region
“The Forum is registering its solidarity stance with the people of the Middle Belt States and all Nigerians who are affected by the opened declaration of senseless killings and massacres of the peace-loving people and Nigerians, who have perpetually been subjected to brandished Satanism, which would continually to be resisted by all means legally entitled”.
“In conclusion, we urge all Nigerians, especially those within our Region to wake up from sleep and defend themselves constitutionally and also according to international instruments, ensuring that there is a synergy with security agencies within our ambient milieu”.
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