President Muhammadu Buhari has been enjoined to ensure that Nigerians and their property are safer in 2022 and the future.
The Middle Belt Forum made this call in its welcome statement to Nigerians into the New Year.
It regretted that the Middle Belt suffered serious security attacks in 2021 which it described as very challenging.
The statement read in part: “We call on President Buhari to ensure that no stone is left unturned to ensure peace and prosperity for our besieged communities.
“In the New Year, we call on President Muhammadu Buhari to send a clear message to the security forces to defeat Boko Haram and throw them out of Damboa Local Government Area.
“In the previous years, Nigerians, especially ethnic nationalities of the Middle Belt, suffered severe and persistent attacks from marauding gangs of murderous herdsmen whose agenda has always been to exterminate our people.
“Recently, some of our people have come under severe attacks in many states of the Middle Belt, including Nasarawa, where no fewer than 45 people were gruesomely murdered by herdsmen.
“These killings have become the trend in many parts of the Middle Belt region of Southern Kaduna, Niger, Plateau, Benue, Adamawa, among others.
“The destruction of our communities and the unprovoked killings of defenceless citizens can no longer be tolerated. When innocent and vulnerable people are left unprotected from the terror of criminals, there can be no option left than self-defence.
“The Forum calls on relevant security agencies not to relent in cleansing our communities of these terrorists who take pleasure in kidnapping, destroying our communities and dislocating our people.
“The continuous wielding of arms by these criminals in daylight to intimidate locals must be stopped in order to protect our communities and not force them to embrace self-defence.”