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Southern, Middlebelt leaders raise alarm over fleeing northern youths
BY NICHOLAS ABE
Leaders of the Southern and Middle Belt Forum (SMBF) have urged Nigerians within the zones to be vigilant in order to avert a possible spread of Coronavirus in the zones by young men fleeing the north and heading southward.
They also expressed dismay at what they described as the complacency of the security forces over the invasion of their areas by teenagers “from far northern Nigeria hidden in containers and trailers, in spite of the ban on interstate movements by the President, the Northern Governors Forum and all the governors in the South and Middle Belt.”
In a statement jointly signed by Chief Edwin Clark, Chief Olu Adebanjo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, and Dr. Bitrus Porgu, on behalf of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Middle Belt Congress (MBC), respectively,the forum chided Nigeria’s security forces for alleged complicity in the act and called on people of the South to resist the temptation to accommodate “the visitors,” in light of the dangers posed by COVID-19 pandemic.
The joint statement read: “This 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.
“Very worrisome in this development is the quietness of the National Security organisations, the National COVID-19 Committee and the Presidency since this story broke out.
“This development has brought about very strong suspicions among our people regarding the aim of the deployment of these young men. Their capacity to escape all border security checks until they reach many states in the South and Middle Belt points to a strong collaboration.
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“God forbid that the Boko Haram threat is being surreptitiously executed. We will certainly not fold our arms and allow massive influx of youths who have no reason to flout extant laws on interstate movements, no pressing national engagement in our areas, no verifiable occupation, no tests for COVID-19 and no prearranged accommodation, to come and forcibly occupy our forests and perhaps prosecute the threat of Boko Haram.
“The silence of the Federal Government in this situation is ominous. The manoeuvres appear deliberately planned and provocative. We will resist any threats to the security of our lives and property with every amount of self-help available to us.
“To avoid further descent into an uncontrollable situation, we call on the Federal Government to publicly declare this invasion illegal, direct our national security organisations to flush them out now and ensure that they do not return.
“Not too long ago, General T.Y. Danjuma warned us to be ready for self-help. We hope that his predictions have not become inevitable and that our nation can be saved a slide into lawlessness and its disastrous consequences.”