Abuja, Nigeria – In a powerful and urgent statement, the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has called on Nigerians to rise in self-defense amidst a surge in deadly attacks by suspected Fulani militias, particularly in Plateau and Benue states.
The forum declared that the time for mourning has ended and stressed that proactive community resistance is now essential for survival.
Comprising major socio-cultural groups including Afenifere, the Middle Belt Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the SMBLF described the recent wave of killings as “a coordinated and unrelenting genocidal massacre.”
The group emphasized that these acts of violence are not random clashes but rather a systematic campaign to displace indigenous communities and assert territorial dominance.
The statement was issued in response to recent atrocities, including the killing of over 50 Irigwe ethnic citizens in Plateau State.
These attacks follow a series of violent incidents in Bokkos Local Government Area, where more than 80 individuals were reportedly murdered in December 2023.
“These are not farmers-herders clashes,” the forum said. “This is a campaign of terror. A carefully orchestrated move to seize land and erase native populations under the guise of communal violence.”
SMBLF criticized the federal government’s continued failure to act decisively in response to the killings.
Despite directives by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for security forces to bring the perpetrators to justice, the attacks have persisted, prompting accusations of indifference and complicity.
The forum expressed alarm over recent threats from the “Coalition of Registered Fulani Organizations,” which demanded the removal of military commanders from Plateau State.
SMBLF noted that the federal government’s silence on this development further underscored its inability to uphold national sovereignty and protect vulnerable citizens.
“The Nigerian state has effectively surrendered its sovereignty to the lawless militias,” the forum said. “Our security forces, once the pride of the continent, are now overwhelmed and ineffective.”
SMBLF renewed its call for sweeping legislative reforms, including the urgent establishment of state police forces and a nationwide ban on open grazing. According to the forum, these measures are critical to curbing violence and restoring order in affected communities.
They also implored state governors to initiate and strengthen local security outfits, urging them not to rely solely on the overstretched federal security apparatus.
In a stirring conclusion, the forum called on citizens to organize and defend their communities using traditional and cultural structures of protection. “All acts of self-defense are lawful when the state fails in its primary duty to protect lives,” the statement asserted.
“Enough is enough,” SMBLF declared. “Together, we will resist. Together, we will defend. Together, we will survive.”
The statement has sparked nationwide debate over the deteriorating security situation and the future of community-based defense mechanisms in Nigeria.
As tensions rise, all eyes are on both federal and state governments to respond decisively—or risk further fragmentation and unrest.
