Middle Belt Forum has called on Plateau State residents and other Nigerians in Middle Belt to defend themselves against armed herdsmen with anything at their disposal.

Insisting that the government had failed to protect middle belters, the forum asked citizens to organise vigilance groups and use anything within their reach to fight the killers.

President, Middle Belt Forum, Mr Pogu Bitrus, who made the call at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday, however, refrained from asking the people to take up arms.

“We call on the entire people of Middle Belt to organise themselves in their communities to defend themselves and their property as the government has abdicated its responsibility to protect them. How you defend yourself is your prerogative; if I have a cutlass, I will use it, if I have a stick, I will use it. When people are not protected, they will resort to self-help. We are calling on our people to mobilise themselves,” he stated.

Justifying his call for self-defence, Bitrus from Chibok, Borno State, wondered why security agencies had not arrested for investigation the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria or the Miyetti Allah Kautal Haure “which have claimed responsibility for the killings.”

He said, “The refusal of Inspector-General of Police to stay in Makurdi as directed by the President in January 2018, and the recent comment by the Minister of Defence directing states to suspend Anti-Open Grazing Prohibition Laws are clear evidence that they are neither interested, willing nor able to be fair to the people of Middle Belt.”

The MBF President called on President Buhari to immediately order the arrest of MACBAN and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore leaders for investigation and prosecution.

Bitrus demanded the reconstitution of the leadership of security forces, adding that his people believed that the top echelons of the services were unwilling or unable to protect them.

He added that the President should also direct Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to set in motion the process for the proscription of the two organisations.

The forum asked state governments in the Middle Belt to, as a matter of urgency, support communities in the region to train vigilance groups in ways of repelling external aggressions.

In addition, MBF asked the President to direct that all police personnel be posted to their various states of origin in line with the principle of community policing.

Punch