Miyetti Allah has declared war on us- Southern/Middle Belt Youth Coalition

A coalition of youths from Southern and Middle Belt under the auspices Nigerian Ethnic Nationalities Youth Forum (NENYF), has said Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria’s (MACBAN) call on its members to defend themselves against “ethnic militias” in the South is a declaration of war, even as they accused Northern Elders of shielding militant herdsmen.

The group stated this in a statement by Aremo Oladotun Hassan, President, Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide and Sec-gen, NENYF; Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, President General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council; Barr. Pereotubo Oweilaemi, President, Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide; Pascal Chimezie, President, Southeast Young Professional Alliance; Comrade Folarin O. Victor, Coordinator, South East Zone, YCYW; Comrade Shiyanbade Akambi, Coordinator, Noth Central Zone, YCYW; Asiwaju Segun Nelson, Coordinator, South West Zone, YCYW; Amb. Daniel Nwokobia Ability, Coordinator, National Youth Assembly of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom Chapter; Capt. Bassey Henshaw, President, Efik Youth and Secretary, Niger Delta Ethnic Youth Council; Comrade Christopher Okpala President, Market Leaders and Traders Association of Nigeria; Aderibole Olumide Philip, President, Yoruba Indigene Worldwide Foundation; Igba Godonz, President, Youth For Middle Belt Youths Sovereignty; Comrade Jeff Joshua, President, Youth of All Nations; Comrade Umo Okoko, Leader, Nigerian Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders Forum; Comrade Enudi Marcus; President, Anioma Youth Council; Comrade Matthew Dinghi National Presidents, National Youth Council of the OGONI People and Comrade Obiagu Ikediobi Kingsley, Administrative Secretary, SNA.

They noted that the call by MACBAN was an invitation for militant herdsmen to increase their attacks on peaceful communities across the South and the Middle Belt, as according to them, such ethnic militia does not exist.

“We the Nigerian Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders Forum, the umbrella body of over 406 indigenous Nigeria youth groups in Nigeria and the Diaspora, alongside the Southern Nigeria Assembly (SNA) are shocked by the inciteful statement credited to Mallam Saleh Alhassan, National Secretary of the Myetti Allah Cattle Breeders Associated of Nigeria calling for continued attacks on peace loving Nigerians across the country by its militia arm in the wake of the Northern Elder’s deceitful call for all herdsmen to return to the North due to perceived lack security for them in Southern Nigeria.

“This call is deceitfully aimed at shielding the real criminals by dragging other peace-loving and law abiding Nigerians of Fulani extraction into what is an attempt to rid our communities of terrorists, some of whom are foreign mercenaries being sponsored and to attack, maim and displace our communities,” the group said.

“We are now more informed seeing the recent provocative utterances and treasonous calls by MACBAN, Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) which are well scripted agenda to cause war or civil disturbance across the country because their Ruga settlement had been suspended.”

The group said there were plots to further arm herdsmen who are already moving around and attacking peaceful communities with AK47 rifles and other sophisticated weapons. It noted that the call was nothing short of declaration of war.

“We see MACBAN’s threats as an invitation to anarchy and declaration of war, with a view to supplying Fulani armed bandits with more AK47 assault rifles and other sophisticated ammunitions to wreck more havoc, carry out more genocidal killings and kidnapping in parts of Middle Belt and Southern Nigeria

“The directive is further confirmation of our fear that the group is out to provoke the people Southern Nigeria to have have justification to loot properties and destroy lives of Southerners living in Northern Nigeria.

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“We therefore call on President Muhammadu Buhari, alongside 36 states governors to intervene forthwith and wield the big stick. The DG DSS and IGP must be mandated to arrest Alhassan and his cohorts for such open invitation to anarchy.

“This must be done immediately to reassure us that the government is interested in the peace and stability of the country. MACBAN should be proscribed and sponsors of these killer herdsmen arrested.”

The group thanked President Buhari for rejecting call by NEF and CNG for the return of herdsmen from South.

“We commend Mr President for immediately calling the Northern Elders to order over their call all Fulani to leave Southern Nigeria.

“However, we shall be convoking a National Dialogue to be held between 30th September to 1st October, 2019 in Lagos as jointly resolved by the Southern Nigeria Assembly and Middles Belt states, being an arm of the largest group of indigenous Nigerians.

“We reassure all Northern Hausa/Fulani Nigerians (Not Foreigners) to go about their normal daily business without fear, while we reiterate our stance on the immediate arrest and prosecution of the killers and kidnappers, be they Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo or any other group.”