By Our Reporter
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has issued a strong rebuke to comments made by National Security Adviser (NSA) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu during his condolence visit to Benue State Governor Father Hyacinth Alia, following recent deadly attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In a press statement signed by its National Spokesman, Luka Binniyat, the MBF condemned Ribadu’s remarks as “callous and inaccurate,” particularly his assertion that the violence in Benue was part of a global security trend and that no part of Nigeria was under the control of armed groups.
“These statements are in direct contrast to well-documented realities,” the MBF stated. “In Benue State alone, armed Fulani militants continue to occupy numerous communities after violently displacing the original inhabitants. Similar situations are occurring in parts of Southern Kaduna, Plateau, Niger, Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara.”
The Forum questioned the sources of the NSA’s briefing and expressed deep concern over the denial of what it described as a humanitarian crisis. “To suggest that no one occupies these lands is to deny the victims their right to justice, restitution, and eventual return,” the statement read.
The MBF raised alarms regarding the ongoing “North Central Workshop on Developing a National Framework on Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration,” organized under the NSA’s office in Makurdi. While acknowledging the importance of such frameworks, the group expressed concerns that the workshop may replicate the controversial model used in Kaduna.
In 2024, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani granted amnesty to self-proclaimed “repentant terrorists” in Birnin Gwari, a move he stated was in collaboration with the NSA’s office. According to the MBF, this approach ignored the suffering of victims and undermined justice.
“Not a word was mentioned about the shattered lives and devastated communities left behind by these terrorists,” the Forum lamented.
The MBF also questioned whether the disarmament agenda would target community members who have armed themselves for self-defense. They cited a February 2025 statement by the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, who encouraged communities to act as first responders in their defense.
The Forum made four major demands:
- No Blanket Amnesty for Terrorists: The MBF insists that individuals who have committed mass atrocities must face justice.
- Right to Self-Defense: Communities under threat should be supported in legally obtaining light weapons and training youth for defense under military supervision.
- State and Local Policing: The Forum reiterated its longstanding call for the establishment of state police, along with local government and ward-level security structures.
- Legal Framework for Amnesty: Any disarmament or reintegration program must adhere to proper legal and legislative processes, rather than being implemented unilaterally.
The Forum concluded with a call for “serious, responsible, and empathetic governance that genuinely reflects the pain and suffering of affected communities,” warning that Nigeria cannot achieve peace by coddling terrorists while ignoring their victims.
“The hundreds of thousands of so-called ‘repentant’ Boko Haram terrorists granted amnesty have not ended the insurgency in the North East,” the MBF emphasized.
