M’Belt groups back Danjuma, flay FG’s alleged indecisiveness

The Middle Belt Youth Council (MBYC) and Middle Belt Forum of Nigeria have backed Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma over his remarks indicting security agencies of complicity in the killings in the country.

They also decried the alleged indecisiveness on the part of the President Muhammadu Buhari to rein in the perpetrators.

The groups described as unfortunate the maiming and killing of innocent people and destruction of their property in the Middle Belt and other parts of the federation.

According to the MYBC’s president, Emma Zopmal, in a statement yesterday in Jos, the people, who have been under siege for many years are now living “under this canopy of death in Nigeria with no hope to end this orchestrated plan of the enemies of Nigeria.”

He noted that Danjuma’s revelation had unfolded the key actors behind the genocide being executed by the herdsmen.
He stated that the expose came at a time when the President was “paying lip service to the dastardly situation under his watch. He is presiding over a nation with people who live beside their graves as a result of the atrocious activities of the fourth dreaded terrorist group in the world.”

Zopmal added: “But it does not so much matter to him because there is no report of any Fulani herdsmen being killed anywhere in Nigeria.

“More importantly, the President should immediately dissolve his pro-Arewa security architecture to reflect federal character where competent service chiefs from across the country will be involved. This will help avert the early sunset in the lives of many Nigerians who, on no account, are taken daily by the herdsmen.”

The Forum, in a statement in Jalingo by its national chairman, Chief John A. Mamman, said it had observed with dismay the chaos in the land and government’s seeming failure to arrest the trend.

He said: Nigeria has become a country plagued by numerous crises, including robbery, kidnappings, cattle rustling, separatist agitations, herdsmen’s massacre and insurgency.

“It is sad to note that the primary responsibility of the government, which is to protect the lives and property of its citizens, has been abandoned by our leaders.”

Mamman regretted that hundreds of thousands of persons, mainly women and children, have been maimed, killed and displaced in these “theatres of conflicts.”

The group wondered why the “armed forces, police, and other security agencies appear to be incapable of discharging their constitutional duties of securing the lives and property of Nigerians.”