Middle Belt, South group meets in US, calls for Regional security
By Samuel Ogunsona
New York, Teusday February 18, 2020 Hundreds of representatives from Southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt this week have called for regional security in line with the Amotekun initiative floated by South West Governors. The delegates met under the auspices of the Southern NIgeria and Middle Belt Forum, (SNMBF), the biggest network of Nigerians in the United States and Europe who are of Middle Belt and Southern Nigeria origin.
The group also said the terrorist group, Boko Haram appears to be backed by powerful government officials. It raised suspicion that since the campaign of violence by Boko Haram began, non of its members has been convicted in a law court even in the face of reports of arrests of their commanders.
At the meeting held in Manhattan, the representatives said the fastest solution to the spate of kidnapping and insecurity was for all the Southern and Middle Belt States to initiative their own state and regional security networks. The resolution was made available to Irohinoodua
The group also called on the Federal Government to drop the charges against the Publisher, Sahara Reporers, Mr Omoyele Sowore. The SNMBF said the continuous trial of the activist was nothing short of political persecution.
“The charges against Sowore are frivolous. What we see is a clear attempt to silence Sahara Reporters and sniff life out of the medium. It is time to drop the charges againt Sowore. The Federal Government has lost face on this issue. No act of treason has been linked with him. It is sad that the Federal Government wants to punish him by using state machinery to settle personal political scores”, the group stated.
On the alternative security for the Southern and Middle Belt states, the group stated “We are worried that the killings have continued unabted. Kidnapping has not stopped. In Middle Belt, the South East and the South-South, the people are restless. We cannot continue to watch things degenerate to a state of anachy. We call on State Governors in the Middle Belt and the Southern states to begin the establishment of regional security network in the areas of political jurisdiction” the resolution signed by the President of the Southern NIgeria and Middle Belt Forum, (SNMBF) stated.
On Amotekun, the group said “This is the first time we have witnessed a major undiluted honest event in the Southern hemisphere of our country since the demise of our founding fathers. The journey has started though, we still have a very long distance to cover. We need similar security outfits in other zones such as SE, SS, SW, MB and the stretch of southern part of northern states to come together to restructure the country. The tactics of divide and rule is fading out and will soon come to an end. The leaders should ignore whatever some devilish, selfish, unscrupulous and myopic characters may be saying to distract their focus.”
Imohbio said those who wish to destroy the South “say provocative things to distract focus and waste time. As far as we are concerned, we will continue to make clarion calls until we restructure Nigeria. The only way out is to forge a unity of purpose.No matter the number of Fulani this administration may able to smuggle into Nigeria, they will still be a little percentage of our population. Their inordinate ambition of conquest can never happen. Nigeria cannot disintegrate because of Fulani. I believe they’re misinformed to think that they fought and defeated the Igbos in the Biafra War. The Fulani should stop behaving like masquerades”
The SNMBF accused the Federal Government of what it called “dubious and questionable intentions” saying it is difficult for officials to deny complicity in the perpetration of the these heinous crimes in the country.
“How can it explain that killings, kidnappings, robbery, incessant attacks on innocent people in their villages, raping of children and mothers, arson, mutilation and removal of vital organs from their dead victims cannot be addressed? Till date, no one has been arrested or tried talk less of imprisonment. The security of lives and properties is the first consideration that must given priority and provision by any good government. This is the reason why people need a government. In the Nigeria case, lives and properties mean nothing to the government of the day.”
It said the failure of any country begins when people afraid to speak the truth for fear of government reprisals. It is the worst thing that can happen to a nation. This is exactly what is happening in Nigeria today. Somebody has to see it.
SNMBF stated further “This government wants Nigerians to believe that the terrorists and killers in Nigeria are mostly foreigners. Is this true? How did they get into the country? Where do they reside? Who gave them arms, ammunitions, treatments, clothing and food supplies? What are the foreigners looking for in Nigeria? Why did FGN through the IGP withdraw all the firearms from citizens before the unprovoked incessant attacks and killings of defenseless Nigerians? But the FGN through its AGF was very quick to condemn the founders of OPERATION AMOTEKUN by southwest governors. Even the president of Miyetti Allah has the temerity to haul insults and abuses on the governors.
It said Boko Haram is not mirage but a mere smokescreen established, financed, backed and used secretly by their founders. FORMER GOVERNOR ALI SHERIFF was identified as the founder by a panel set up by government itself. He is a free man gallivanting all over the cities of Nigeria.”
The report of the investigation that implicated and indicated him never see the light of day. A member of the panel, ALHJA NAJA’ATU MOHAMMED has told Nigerians on several occasions and social media. Boko Haram has no agenda. The majority owners of it are masked. It is to intimidate, instill fears and coerce oppositions to obey and follow their barbaric and retrogressive ways of reasoning. Another group FULANI NATIONAL MOVEMENT has just emerged and claiming Nigeria as their inheritance from Othman Dan Fodio. No government officials have condemned the threat that they will kill every other tribe who refuse to obey their laws. This is not treason?
The man Nigerians voted for once told us that if he was not voted for, baboons and monkeys will be soaked in their blood. He threatened that he would make the country ungovernable if he was not declared the winner. Furthermore, Nigerians still remember how the terrorists themselves nominated the same person as the only one to represent them in the dialogue with the then FGN. What are we saying now? What did you expect then? Have thousands of people not been soaked in their BLOOD since 2015 this regime came into governance? The truth of the matter is that most of the people we call leaders are NOT. These are shameless, heartless and selfish people. They are the same people with myopic ideas and blurred vision that have brought the country to its knee. They are the same people Nigerians celebrate and worship as their idols.
However, we must not fall to thank His Excellency Chief Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof Wole Soyinka, Gen. T.Y. Danjuma, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, His Excelency Chief Ebitu Ukiwe, Chief Femi Falana, Mr. Omoyele Sowore and others that actually love Nigeria. This thank is for both current and past actions (Ukiwe). We are not absolving them of total infallibility, but they stand very tall in their struggle for Nigeria’s unity. Why many people are busy looting the public treasuries, these few above mentioned Nigerians stick out their necks to fight and save the lives of others. Some of them have been rail rolled into various terms of improvements without trials. But they still remain unwavering about their belief.
Others have been charged for treason (Omoyele Sowore and
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu ). The first placed on restricted movement and the latter banished from his country. Yet, Ukiwe was forcibly retired.
Conversely, if you are in their good books of this regime (especially Fulani), whatever you say or do is credible and acceptable. For example, Abdul Azeeze Suleiman is free to give thirty days ultimatum to the FGN or they would take a decisive actions against southerners in the north. This is not treason. But any opposition including His Excellency Chief Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo could be framed up and charged for treason. This is a man that risk his life to fought for the unity of Nigeria. He remains unwavering till date. Some were dealt with for either developing their states ahead of other region or for being the most honest and honorables. These include the late His Excellency Dr. Alex Ekweme, Prof. Ambrose Ali and Chief Sam Mbakwe and Chief Pa Michael Ajasin who were all jailed without trials for being honest. But the head of that government Alhaji Shehu Shagari was freed.
The group said it is worried when people try to launder the image of this “vindictive government”.
It said further “Now some people are clamoring for the passage of Hate Law Bill. This will be their death knell if passed. We strongly believe that the FGN is working with a blue print tied to time line on a planned Fulani conquest. Look at the method of appointments. Immigration, customs, all the major security inlets and outlets, judiciary, the Army, Air Force, Senate, NNPC, INEC, Red Cross, etc etc. Regrettably, some of us from the SE, SS, SW, MB are still laundering the image of this government. It is a shame.”
The group expressesld appreciation for the SW governors for on the Amotekun initiative.