By Aviashima Toom, Abuja
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has strongly condemned recent comments made by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, during his condolence visit to Benue State following deadly attacks linked to armed Fulani herdsmen.
In a press statement signed by its National Spokesman, Luka Binniyat, the MBF described Ribadu’s remarks as “callous” and “misleading,” warning that they undermine the suffering of displaced communities across the Middle Belt and beyond.
Ribadu, during his visit to Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, reportedly downplayed the severity of the crisis, characterizing it as part of a global pattern of violence, with comparisons to Sudan and Mauritania. He also denied that any part of Nigeria is currently under the control of armed groups—a statement the MBF says directly contradicts on-ground realities and official reports.
The MBF cited several states—Benue, Southern Kaduna, Plateau, Niger, Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara—as areas where communities remain under the occupation of armed militants. It also referenced Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, who has acknowledged that Boko Haram has reclaimed control of certain areas.
“Who is briefing the NSA?” the MBF asked in its statement. “His comments are not only inaccurate but deeply insensitive to the thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in subhuman conditions.”
The group also expressed concerns over the ongoing “North Central Workshop on Developing a National Framework on Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration,” currently being held in Makurdi under the NSA’s office. According to the MBF, the framework appears to follow a similar path to the controversial 2024 amnesty program implemented in Kaduna State by Governor Uba Sani, which saw the release and planned rehabilitation of so-called “repentant” terrorists in Birnin Gwari.
“The Kaduna model gave amnesty to killers without any mention of justice or compensation for their victims,” the MBF said. “We suspect the Makurdi workshop may be heading in the same direction.”
The forum questioned whether the disarmament strategy would target embattled communities forced to take up rudimentary arms in self-defense, and if that would contradict recent calls by the Department of State Services (DSS) Director General, Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, who had encouraged communities to act as first responders in defending themselves.
MBF Demands:
The Middle Belt Forum outlined its position in four key points:
1. No Blanket Amnesty for Terrorists: Perpetrators of violence must face justice and cannot be allowed to walk free after surrendering arms.
2. Support for Community Self-Defense: The government should assist communities under siege with legal access to light weapons, training, and oversight by vetted security personnel.
3. State and Local Policing: The MBF reiterated its call for the establishment of State Police and community-based policing structures for effective local security.
4. No Unilateral Amnesty: All reintegration and amnesty efforts must be subject to legal processes and public accountability.
The MBF concluded by calling on the NSA to offer leadership that provides hope to victims and not sympathy for those responsible for mass atrocities. It noted that the ongoing policy of granting amnesty to insurgents in the North East has failed to end the Boko Haram insurgency and should not be replicated elsewhere.
“The time has come for responsible, empathetic governance that reflects the true pain of affected communities,” the forum stated.
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