Nigeria Currently Worse Than It Was After The Civil War – SMBLF Laments

Nigeria Getting Backward – Group Laments

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum has warned that another civil war hangs on the head of Nigeria as a nation except urgent corrective steps are taken.

The group lamented that cases of nepotism and marginalization of many regions and tribes in the country in favour of the Fulanazation agenda is affecting the country.

This it said in the communique issued at the end of the SMBLF meeting in Abuja on Monday, where deliberations were held on the state of the country 50 years after the civil war.

The communique was signed by the forum’s co-spokespersons, Yinka Odumakin (South-West); Gen. C. Iherike (South-East); Senator Bassey Henshaw (South-South); and Dr. Isuwa Dogo (Middle Belt).

It said a single region is controlling the nation’s resources, security architecture and political leadership at the detriment of other regions.

The meeting was presided over by the Pan Niger Delta Forum’s leader, Chief Edwin Clark, supported by Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nwodo; and President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Pogu Bitrus.

The leaders warned that urgent steps would be taken to avoid a Rwanda situation when a genocide was implemented against the Tutsis by the Hutus in the Rwanda war.

The communique read, “The meeting observed with sadness that Nigeria today is under worse irresponsibility of power than it was in 1967 when the first civil war occurred with unbridled nepotism, sectionalism and undisguised marginalisation of major sections of the country in pursuit of Fulanisation agenda.”

The forum said it “was not comfortable that 50 years after the war, diplomatic protocols and multilateral agreements on movement of citizens across borders enacted by Acts of Parliament are being overthrown by presidential proclamations to obviously facilitate the invasion of our country by Fulani herdsmen through the visa-less entry to change the demographic composition of Nigeria.”

On Operation Amotekun, a security outfit set up by the South-West governors, the forum pitched its tent with the governors, noting that they took the step to protect their people.

“What is currently on the exclusive list is policing which is wrong under federalism as federating units in this country once had Native Authority police before as is usual of multi-level policing under a federal structure

“While we encourage our states to make do with Amotekun types as a temporary measure, the demand for state police must be intensified within the overall restructuring of Nigeria.”

The group also demanded an explanation into allegations that the National Identity Management Commission was registering illegal immigrants.