Southern and Middle Belt leaders have warned the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to desist from insulting the sensibilities of non-Fulani Nigerians with their insensitivity to other Nigerians over the alleged coordinated genocide being carried out by Fulani herdsmen and militia across the country.
The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum issued this warning to ACF on Thursday, following a press conference where the ACF leaders blamed the Southern and Middle Belt leaders for the attacks allegedly perpetrated by the Fulani across the country.
The Southern and Middle Belt leaders, in the statement signed by Publicity Secretary of Pan-Yoruba cultural association, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin for the South West; Chigozie Ogbu of the Ohaneze Ndigbo for the South East; Bassey Henshaw of the South-South and Isuwa Dogo of the Middle Belt Forum denounced the ACF as narrow-minded people.
“The attention of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum has been drawn to a press conference addressed by the Arewa Consultstive Forum(ACF) assaulting the sensibilities of non-Fulani Nigerians on the coordinated genocide being carried out by Fulani herdsmen /militia across the country
“The level of insensitivity being displayed by the ACF on the serial crimes against humanity being carried out by their kinsmen shows clearly they are a group who think only about themselves while ignoring the interests of other citizens they jokingly refer to as “fellow Nigerians.”
“Internationally quoted figures say about 30,000 Nigerians have been killed in the last four years by these Fulani herdsmen/militia ,with not a soul convicted even when we hear of people being charged to court for killing cows under this administration .
“It is childlike for ACF to blame Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum for the activities of these marauders bearing testimonies from victims on daily basis.
As late as yesterday ,there was kidnap on Lagos -Ibadan road during which the son of the CMD of Lafia Hospital in Ibadan and two staffers were kidnapped. Dr Oladopupo Sule,the CMD said:
“The driver said one of the kidnappers communicated in English and others were speaking in Hausa of Fulani”.(Pg 52,Thisday ,25th July,2019),” the group said
The leaders added that this has been the common thread in many of the kidnappings in recent time in many communities. They said that
instead of ACF and their ilk showing empathy with the victims as humanity demands and contribute to finding ways to end the menace,it is only insults that flow from their mouths.
“How can any reasonable person say the identity of criminals ,as identified by victims, being named simply because we have a Fulani President ? We had thought it would be sensible to ask the Fulani President to use the security agencies to pursue the criminals and get them arrested. We would not mind apologising if that is done and those terrorising us are found not to be of Fulani extraction.
“But instead of doing that the “Fulani Presidency” (apology to ACF) has been giving excuses on the killings and unwilling to apprehend the criminals .
We must let ACF know that the lives of our people mean so much to us that we cannot engage in sinful silence when they are being wasted. ACF would do well to appeal to these criminals to desist from their acts if they still want us to continue to live together in the same country,” they said.
The group also condemned the ACF over their reaction to the issues raised by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, saying “we equally observed their jejune response to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s observations on the state of the country after their several days of “studying ” his intervention.That all they could come up with was abusing Obasanjo shows the slippery ground upon which they are standing.
“We want them to know that Obasanjo spoke the minds of all Nigerians who are not part of or endorsers of the genocide going on .
“The reason why the ACF cannot see the valid points he raised is that Nigeria to them is just Arewaland and the votes spread the constitution requires from other parts of the country.
“If the Federal Government listens to ACF instead of acting to allay the fears on complaints about obvious “Northernisation ” and “Fulanisation” agenda,it would mean the plot to destroy this country has official seal,” the group said.
Innocent Odoh Abuja
