Nnamdi Kanu: Benue youths react, demand arrest of Miyetti Allah, FUNAM leaders

By Rasaq Adebayo

Following the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, the Benue Youth Forum has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to arrest the leadership of the Miyetti groups, Fulani Nationality Movement (FUNAM) and other terrorists who live and dine in cosy hotels in Abuja.

The Youth Forum made the call in a statement by its President, Terrence Kuanum, on Friday.

According to Kuanum, the arrest of the leadership of the Miyetti Allah groups and FUNAM will drastically reduce tension and prove that the President Muhammadu Buhari government is willing to accord justice to all Nigerians at long last.

The statement read: “It is no longer news that Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was a few days ago, re-arrested and brought back to Nigeria. The development indicated that our security intelligence is suddenly working.

“Before now, it was apparent that the intelligence network of Nigeria’s security forces had malfunctioned particularly as it bordered on the inflammatory and treasonable utterances of the leadership of Miyetti Allah groups who have at different times claimed responsibility for the killing of hundreds innocent Nigerians. We in the Middle Belt have been the worst hit.

“Groups such as the Fulani Nationality Movement, FUNAM have repeatedly attacked and killed many defenseless people and have come out to state that more blood will flow. In March this year, the group publicly said it had carried out the attack on Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom. Though the Governor escaped the assassination attempt, FUNAM vowed that they won’t relent until they hit their target. Our security agencies heard the group’s threat loud and clear but looked the other way. In fact, they absorbed all Fulani groups of blame in the attack on the Governor. That was just one incident of the manner the country’s security forces display a double faced approach to the fight against terrorism. They treat anything that involves herdsmen with kid gloves.

“Recent events have left the people of the Middle Belt perplexed on how the same intelligence that failed to give them protection and justice could metamorphose into a gallant and active force using Interpol to track down Nnamdi Kanu who they claimed instigated the killing of 55 persons but would ignore the Miyetti Allah leadership who have caused greater pain and sorrow in the hearts of Nigerians.

“We find it appalling that in a country where there seems to be no justice the federal government through its agencies will choose to go after those only agitating for independence and allow those causing mass deaths and destruction to the very foundation of the nation. The aggression with which Nnamdi Kanu was trailed and arrested smacked of a skewed and misplaced priority.

“The agitations for the restructuring of Nigeria in the face of gross marginalization and wanton killings need to be appreciated by the government because no nation ignores its citizens in penury as it is the case of this country. Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB and other separatist groups are only responding to the failure of Nigeria to give its citizens equal opportunities and freedoms. Such freedom fighters are therefore not worse than sworn terrorists like Miyetti Allah groups and FUNAM who do not only want the collapse of the country but also want to appropriate it to themselves as their ethnic possession.

“President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent media outing to mark his six years anniversary aggravated issues in the country where he disappointed every Nigerian by failing to address the concerns of the people. The President should be told that his insistence that cattle routes and grazing reserves be opened across the country will surely set the nation ablaze.

“We expect that the federal government will immediately direct security agencies to arrest the leadership of the Miyetti groups and FUNAM with the same zeal they apprehended Nnamdi Kanu. Now they have demonstrated capacity to nab and extradite a suspect even from a foreign land so nothing should stop them from arresting Miyetti Allah leaders and other terrorists who live and dine in cozy hotels in Abuja.

“The arrest of the leadership of the Miyetti Allah groups and FUNAM will drastically reduce tension and prove that the Buhari government is willing to accord justice to all Nigerians at long last.

“We remain committed to the unity of this country but we seek for justice, fairness and equity to sustain the unity, peace and progress necessary for a healthy and strong nation.”