BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) have expressed serious concern over quietness of the National Security organizations, the National Covid-19 Committee and the Presidency at the invasion of their areas by some teenagers and others foreign elements hidden in containers and trailers in large numbers in spite of the ban in inter-state travels.
The SMBLF said that the development has brought about very strong suspicions amongst people regarding the aim of the deployment of the young men to the Middle States, South-east, South-south and South-west states.
The Forum stressed that to avoid further descent to an uncontrollable situation, it called on the Federal government to publicly declare the invasion illegal and direct the nation’s Security Organizations to flush them out now and ensure that they do not return.
The SMBLF specifically expressed disgust at the complacency of the Nigerian Security Forces at the invasion of their areas by teenagers from certain section of Nigeria in spite of the ban on interstate movements by the President, the Northern Governors Forum and the Nigerian Governors Forum.
The SMBLF therefore questioned the type of country we live in that the order of a President and laws of the land would be selectively obeyed or ignored totally by some citizens without consequences while others are under koboko to obey?
In a statement signed by Chief E K Clark for Pandef, Chief Ayo Adebanjo for Afenifere, Chief John Nnia Nwodo for Ohaneze and Dr Bitrus Pogu for The Middle Belt Forum, the SMBLF noted that the ominous development is coming after Boko Haram threatened openly three weeks ago, that they were going to take their battle against Nigeria to the South East and South-south.
The statement further states; “Very worrisome in this development is the quietness of the National Security organizations, the National Covid-19 Committee and the Presidency since this story broke out.
“Their capacity to escape all border security checks until they reach many States in the South and Middle Belt and nearly the whole country points to a strong collaboration.”
The SMBLF therefore urged all Nigerians at the receiving end to be vigilant, adding that God forbid that the Boko Haram threat is being surreptitiously being executed.
They vowed that they would certainly not fold their arms and allow massive influx of youths who have no reason to flout extant laws on interstate movements with no pressing National engagement, no verifiable occupation, no tests for Covid-19 and no pre-arranged accommodation to come and forcibly occupy the forests and perhaps prosecute the threat of Boko Haram.
The SMBLF further said; “The silence of the Federal government in this situation is ominous. The maneuvers appear deliberately planned and provocative. We will resist any threats to our invasion and the security of our lives and property with every amount of self-help available to us.
“To avoid further descent to an uncontrollable situation, we call on the Federal government to publicly declare this invasion illegal, direct our National Security Organizations to flush them out NOW and ensure that they do not return.
“We need to be reassured there is a government here! Not too long ago General Danjuma warned us to be ready for self-help. We hope that his predictions have not become inevitable and that our country can be saved a slide into lawlessness and its disastrous consequences.
“A stitch in time saves nine! We call on our people to be vigilant. How can we endure sporadic killings in the hands of herdsmen in “normal” times and Almajiri invasion under pandemic?”
