The Middle Belt Forum, MBF, has reminded governors of the region to use their victories at the Supreme Court to settle down and resolve the myriad of problems plaguing their states.
The group urged the governors to urgently resolve on insecurity and infrastructural development for the economic empowerment of citizens.
MBF National President, Dr Pogu Bitrus, in a statement he made available on Saturday, said, “The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) wishes to congratulate Governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Darius Ishaku (Taraba), Samuel Lalong (Plateau), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa) and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) over their victories in the 2019 polls at the Supreme Court.
“There is no doubt that their victories at the Supreme Court have drawn tremendous joy and happiness from the electorate and demonstrates the impartiality of the judiciary in upholding the popular will of the people as fully expressed through the ballot box.
“The final resolution of these electoral disputes by the highest court in the land offers a refreshing hope for the governors to settle down and resolve the myriad of problems plaguing their states, especially on insecurity and infrastructural development for the economic empowerment of citizens.”
The Middle Belt Forum noted that for most of these states mentioned above, the prevailing security challenges have become the bane of safety and development.
MBF observed, “Attacks on communities and defenseless citizens are recurring criminalities in most of the states that have been caught in the web of avoidable bloodshed by terrorists.
“These murderous assaults have continued to cast threatening clouds of uncertainties and untold hardship on the populace. With the electoral disputations finally settled in their favour, it is hoped that more efforts and focus shall be deployed by the governors in combating bloodshed and massive destruction unleashed by terrorists.
“The Middle Belt Forum wishes to draw the attention of these governors to be irrevocably steadfast in evolving measures capable of staving off further bloodshed across our communities occupied by the peoples of the Middle Belt Region.
“Democracy and rights to life are sacrosanct and, therefore, we call on the governors to be committed to the defence of life and property.
“The present decimation of communities in the Middle Belt states and the turning of towns and villages into silent killing fields need to be revisited by these governors in collaboration with relevant agencies of the Federal Government to end the massive siege unleashed on Middle Belt states.”
Considering the horrifying activities that have drawn global attention, the forum called on the governors to work towards the creation of a security network similar to Operation Amotekun in order to obliterate all forms of insecurity unleashed on defenceless communities.
“We believe that a security outfit like Operation Amotekun will serve our communities better than the proposed community policing which is similar to the works as currently being done by informants in providing intelligence to the police.
“To achieve these laudable recommendations, the governors should carry critical stakeholders in policy implementation in their respective states towards creating cordial relations and promoting peace and harmony.
“More than anything, the governors should embark on measures towards engendering development and providing hope for people and communities that are under siege,” MBF advised.
The group called on the government to embark on massive development of infrastructure in order to lay the foundation of industrialisation and economic viability of the region.
