Terrorists attacking farmers, unsuspecting civilians – MBF President, Bitrus

The President of the Middle Belt Forum, Pogu Bitrus, has raised deep concerns over the continued attacks across the North-Central zone of Nigeria.

Bitrus suggested possible solutions to end these persistent attacks. Excerpts:

What is your assessment of the incessant insecurity ravaging North-Central Nigeria?

First of all, the common narrative of farmers-herders clashes is something we reject. What we’re witnessing are attacks by Fulani terrorists targeting farmers and innocent civilians living in the North-Central region.

These recent attacks have become even more horrific. In the past, they would shoot people, but now they burn people alive in their homes. This level of cruelty is new in the terrorists’ methods and is completely unacceptable.

What’s worse is that for years we’ve been telling the security agencies and the Nigerian public exactly where these attackers are based. They are largely in Nasarawa State, from where they launch attacks on Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, and Taraba.

It’s unacceptable that in a country with security forces funded by taxpayers, distress calls go unanswered, and the known hideouts of these terrorists remain untouched, allowing them to keep killing innocent people freely.

These clashes have been going on for a very long time now in the North Central. How do you assess the federal government’s efforts in tackling the matter?

Frankly, the government has failed to allow citizens to arm themselves or be adequately equipped to defend their communities. As a result, people keep getting killed without the means to resist, and that’s unacceptable.