The Forum of Middle belt Youths Presidents have charged the Department of State Services, DSS to channel their powers towards solving the various security challenges facing the country rather than attacking public office holders working day and night to develop their states.
The group while speaking with newsmen in Abuja said they received with shock and utter disappointment a news report by the Department of State Services, DSS alleging that three serving Governors in the country are behind a plot to incite public violence across country.
Terrence Kuanum, the President of the Middle Belt Youth Presidents and Daniel Bichi, Secretary who spoke on behalf of the other members of the group said a cursory look at the accusation by a service, saddled with the responsibility of protecting Nigerians through viable intelligence gathering and proactive measures at very critical moments is worrisome.
He said, “Unfortunately, we find the tone and the real agenda behind such weighty allegations suspicious, particularly that the service has left the current precarious situation where terrorists have taken over a large chunk of the sovereignty of the country to satisfy some seeming political interests absurd.
“A few days ago, the convoy of the Deputy Governor of Kebbi State was ambushed and attacked by armed bandits. In the ensuing exchange of gun battle, the terrorists succeeded in killed 19 security operatives that were on that convoy. It took the grace of God for the Deputy Governor to escape from that attack.
“Within the same time in Kontagora, Niger State, a police station was attacked by assailants. They killed the DPO and six policemen who were on duty patriotically serving their father land.
“Just last week, the house of the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo was burnt down in Imo state with yet another police station bombed to ashes, leaving several police personnel dead in that attack orchestrated by arm bandits.
“Reports also came out from Nasarawa State where a youth group from the state openly came out to accuse the Fulani herdsmen for opening camps in the southern parts of the state where they have displaced the citizens and are using the camps as a base to attack the neighboring communities in Benue State. These unprovoked attacks have continued without any resistance from the security agencies for either lack of capacity or manpower.
“There has been wanton destruction of lives and properties in Zamfara, Sokoto, Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger states to mention just a few on a daily basis by Fulani herdsmen with millions of IDPs camps across the country. In Sokoto state for instance, these bandits severally turned communities into a killing field” they said
The group said if the DSS claims that some governors are instagating violence, then Nigerians need to know if it is the same Governors that have influenced the current fuel crises in the same country which is another knotty issue capable of sparking off crisis
“Can the DSS trace the ongoing ASUU strike to the doorsteps of state governors?
“We ask again, what is the role of governors in the current rise in food prices?
“It is an open secret that the management of the Nigeria at the moment is faulty and has left so many holes which we suspect that the current federal government is truly helpless and needs help. The growing indicators of poor economic and financial management skills of the present administration have shown in the high rise in unemployment rate and wide gulf between rich and poor. These are not good parameters for a healthy political environment.
“With these glaring scenarios, we are surprised and disappointed at the conclusion drawn by the DSS that it is serving Governors rather than the federal government that are instigating crisis in the northern part of the country. In case ths DSS has forgotten, the Northern region has not known peace for 12 years owing to activities of Boko Haram and the Fulani herdsmen. Definitely, this cannot be just dumped on the laps of state governors who are also critical stakeholders in the Nigerian project.
“We make bold to suspect that the Federal Government is using the DSS to set up some state governors who have refused to be silenced for persecution.These are governors who have continued to stand on the side of the people that elected them rather than take an unpopular stand.
“From all indications, it is obvious that the allegations against these unnamed governors across the geopolitical zones is to divert the attention of Nigerians from the pressure mounted by international community who are now asking that leaders of groups like the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore should be arrested and prosecuted and that the violent groups are declared as terrorist organizations” they said
The group further urged President Buhari to reject the report and sack the Director General of DSS without further delay for failing in his responsibilities and abating genocide in the country.
“We also demand the immediate deployment of more military personnel into the Operation Whirl Stroke to beef up security in the Benue Valley to stop the killings of innocent persons as it has become apparent that the security forces on the Benue/Nasarawa border lack the sophistication of the weaponry of the Fulani herdsmen who have set up camps in the southern part of Nasarawa State.
“Furthermore, proactive steps should be taken to address the demands put forward by ASUU in a bid to end the raging strike action by the academic union to avoid further provocation that might lead to break down of law and order in our country.
“The Federal Government should take urgent steps to remedy the hike in the cost of living in our country. These are the time bombs we are all sitting on hence every step must be taken to ensure it doesn’t explode.
“We stand solidly with State Governors who have demonstrated courage at all times even in the face of stiff opposition from the federal might. We commend them all for always remaining resolute and steadfast.
:The Forum of Middle Belt Youth Presidents urges the President to come down from his high ego horse and listen to critical stakeholders now. We give our backing to the calls that the President convoke a national security summit of all ethnic nationalities to address this nagging insecurity threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria. That way, there may be viable solutions to fixing security, economy and other critical sectors so that this country can move forward without all the bagges we are seeing now.
“Lastly, we urge the Buhari administration and its agents to focus on their mandate of providing leadership to alleviate the suffering of the people and desist from vilifying and castigating true nationalists and patriots who have been in the vanguard of ensuring that the incompetent and ineffective leadership at the centre does not destroy what is left of the country’s dwindling values” he said.
