Insecurity: Stop globetrotting, commit resources, energy in resolving conflicts – Middlebelt group tells Nigerian Governors

By Dansu Peter 

Nigerian Governors have come under attack over their perceived cold attitude towards the endless killings and unrest in the region.

Middle Belt Conscience Guard (MBCG), while calling on governors in Nigeria to wake up and take a decisive action over the spate of killings, kidnappings and criminality , said the lukewarm attitude of the Governors and stakeholders in the country  is becoming worrisome, to say the least.

The Leadership of Middle Belt Conscience Guard (MBCG) and members gave this charge after an emergency meeting to cross-examine the unending crises in some sections of the country.

It tasked them to commit resources, energy into resolving conflicts and stop globetrotting.

The group, which met at Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, Thursday, April 25, 2019 in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, said it was pained with the unprovoked invasions of our communities by armed assailants in parts of the country , while governors in the areas watch without swinging into action to end the meance.

The group in a communiqué signed at the end of the emergency meeting by Prince Raymond Enero President, MBCG  & Chairman, Communique Drafting Committee (CDC) and Dr. Paul Itodo, Secretary- General, MBCG &, Communique Drafting Committee (CDC), condemned the killings; the untold hardships, dislocations of communal life, the pains, and agonies, now experienced by otherwise peaceful communities and the fate of our people or survivors who are now compelled to go through this undeserved accidental physical and psychological trauma.

They called on the state governors in the country  to rise up to the challenge and end the protracted crises, which had claimed many lives and valuables.


The communiqué reads below.

The meeting unanimously identified with our people's pains of losing beloved ones, displacements of people and the connected inconveniences imposed on them by these attacks from satanic and heartless souls. We collectively prayed for the souls of our departed brothers and sisters who lost their lives in the senseless carnages and wished that may Almighty God grant their innocent souls eternal rest in His bosom.

The forum stated clearly that the people of Middle Belt are communally bonded or are united by the same blood, cultures, traditions and a common destiny in Nigeria, especially in the land our forebears dwelled, which we have inherited.  And that the preponderance of violence and  the brazen extermination of our kith and kin  in this region are against the spirit of our ancestors.

Therefore, all actors, passive or impassive must sheathe their swords for peace and security to reign in this region.  And indeed, in other parts of Northern Nigeria, where violence has replaced peace and harmonious co-existence as members of the same ancestry.
We also resolved to advise all communities to learn to amicably settle all disputes, rather than the prevailing trend of impulsive resort to violence and killings of one another.  We sincerely commiserate with our people over the sad crises, which most or all of the times reflect our dilemma as a people or communities abandoned by our respective failed state leaders. They mask as State Governors for politicking sake and thereafter, go in pursuit of a worthless and unlucrative lucre abroad, while in public service.

MBCG reached a consensus resolution to caution and even warn the State Governors of States domiciled in the Middle Belt and other parts of Northern Nigeria, such as those of Taraba, Benue, Kogi, Zamfara, Katsina states and others to stand up for their first and foremost Constitutional responsibility of securing the lives and property of their citizens.

The resolution also reminded these State Governors to understand, the 2019 electioneering campaigns/elections and the brawl-beating or escapism from the leadership they seek are over now. It’s enough that these “failed politicians” who have retained themselves back to power or planted stooges, must necessarily warm their seats in offices to focus on governance, than striking enmity with main rivals and supporters.

A resolution also reminded these State Governors that the first port of call when there is a breach of security in their respective states is to arrest it with the hundreds of millions in security votes they collect every month from the federation account to tame the tide. The idea of “pocketing” security votes, instead of channeling it to nip crisis in the bud before it escalates only to look unto to the Presidency to deploy the military for damage control is unacceptable onwards.

We resolved that these State Governors must begin to commit States resources and allocations, especially, security votes, collected on behalf of the people into resolving security issues and desist from misappropriating same for globetrotting and purchase of choice properties in Abuja, Dubai, China and in other parts of the world.

Added, the meeting resolved that these State Governors should initiate peace and reconciliations parleys within the divisive political clans in their various states. It’s obvious the renewed violence and killings in the Middle Belt and armed banditry in the Northwest are instigated by these politicians/ state leaders.

We appeal to these politicians with over- bloated ego to the extent of overlooking the security of lives and property to bury their pride and seek citizenship protection by whatever means possible for us to be safe.  It behooves on these state leaders to evolve home-grown solutions by consulting and collaborating with the traditional, community, opinion and religious leaders to find enduring solutions to these crises, which are peculiar to the different geographical entities and cannot be solved centrally by using one approach alone.

It’s clear to us that  in the build-up to the last general elections, these politicians ”armed youths to snatch ballot boxes,”  but were not allowed to exercise this might because of the heavy presence of security  for Nigerians to cast their lawful votes unmolested or harassed. Its time for them to call for armistice and disarm the youths they empowered with guns to kill and maim for political reasons.

We commended the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) led by President Muhammadu Buhari by its proactive reactions through the instant deployment of troops to curtail some of the outbreaks of violence and killings in most of these states.  It’s an applauded demonstration of compliance with his oath of office to protect lives and property of Nigerians, despite the apparent slack and dereliction of duty by some of these state Governors/leaders.