Middle Belt groups disown northern Nigeria

Following the apparent opposition of the North to the persisting demands for restructuring of Nigeria, some groups from the Middle Belt have said they are not part of northern Nigeria.

The North appears to be in strong opposition to the calls for the country’s restructuring being heavily championed by leaders of the southern part of the country.

But the Middle Belt group addressing a press conference in Kaduna on Thursday, distanced themselves from the North and its stand on Nigeria’s restructuring.

While maintaining that they are not part of the North, the group called on the southern regions of the country to partner with them in their restructure Nigeria demand.

The Youth President, Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, Mr. Nasiru Jagaba, speaking on behalf of the Middle Belt Patriotic Front, which consists of 49 associations, said that Kwara, Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba, Niger, are Middle Belt are not northern states.

Also listed as Middle Belt were the Federal Capital Territory, southern parts of Adamawa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Bauchi, Gombe, and Yobe states.

According to Jagaba, all the above states and people should be referred to as ‘Middle Belters’ and not northerners.

“Please let the world be advised that the Middle-Belt is not part of the North and nobody has our mandate to speak for us . We call on other geopolitical zones of the country to consider us as Middle – Belters which is our identity,” he said.

He said the South-West, South-South and South-East geopolitical zones should partner with the Middle Belt to ensure the restructuring of the country.

He added, “It is no longer news that the peace, security, prosperity and unity of our beloved country, Nigeria is now badly threatened.

“Therefore, we the people of the Middle Belt of Nigeria comprising Kwara State, Kogi State, Benue State, Plateau State, Nasarawa State, Taraba State, Niger State, the Federal Capital Territory, the southern parts of Adamawa State, Kaduna State, Kebbi State, Bauchi State, Gombe State, Yobe State and Borno State wish to lend our united voice behind the Middle-Belt Forum and other affiliate groups to the following:

“We, the people of the Middle Belt of Nigeria, wish to let the world know that we are not a part of northern Nigeria and nobody in the northern part has the mandate to speak for us.

“We therefore dissociate ourselves from the infamous so-called ‘Kaduna Declaration’ of the 6th of June 2017 that demanded the exit of our Igbo brothers and sisters from the northern part of Nigeria with a threat to their lives and properties.

Read also : Ex-minister Gana cautions north on plans to break up Nigeria, says don’t count on middle-belt

“We commend recent moves by the Federal Government under the leadership of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to nip this challenge in the bud and we call on all Nigerians and those living in Nigeria to support the Federal Government to not only restore peace but to move Nigeria to greater heights.”

The call for the restructuring of the country continues to mount by the day especially since the agitation by some groups in the South-East for separation from Nigeria got heightened after its sit-at-home order received near total compliance in the region.

Also, the quit notice for Ndigbo living in the North by Arewa youths as a result of agitation for separation seems to have fueled the demand for restructuring.

 

RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears

Click here to download the Ripples Nigeria App for latest updates

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now