Middle Belt, Southern Kaduna Groups Dissociate Self From Arewa Consultative Forum

Two major socio-political groups in the Northern part of Nigeria, the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) and the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) have dissociated themselves from the pan-northern association, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).

The two major groups in a separate interview on Thursday said they were not part of the Arewa forum, but said they were not in opposition to the planned meeting of the ACF with the Southern Groups, Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

The southern groups have maintained their position, stressing the need to restructure the country.

The ACF at its National Executive Council meeting in Kaduna on Wednesday disclosed its decision to meet the leadership of the pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, and the Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, over rising insecurity in the country and other issues.

According to The Punch, the spokesperson for the Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Isuwa Dogo, said that the group would not attend the meeting as part of the ACF.

“The Middle Belt Forum does not attend meetings with the ACF or any other group except with Ohaneze Ndigbo, Afenifere, and PANDEF (Pan-Niger Delta Forum). The four groups are together. So, if the ACF is meeting with those groups in the South, it also includes Middle Belt Forum.

“We are waiting for the agenda they have and we will respond appropriately when the agenda is made known to us,” Dogo said. 

 The Middle Belt Forum insisted that the Middle Belt people had their cultural identity distinct from that of the Arewa, adding that, “One thing you should know is that we are not part of whatever the ACF is doing. We have our own identity which is different from theirs.”

The SOKAPU also said it was not part of the ACF, adding that the reason it would attend the meeting would be because its allies would be in attendance.

According to the spokesperson of the group, Luka Binniyat, the ACF cannot speak for the people of Southern Kaduna.

Binniyat maintained that the Arewa forum was in pursuit of the Hausa-Fulani agenda.

He said, “SOKAPU is not an appendage of the ACF. But if we will attend, it will be because the Middle Belt Forum, which is our mother body, will be attending. And it will also be that because our allies, PANDF, Afinefere, and Ohaneze will be in attendance.

“The ACF is a select, privileged group of elites from the former Northern Region which is now 19 states. They have arrogated to themselves the role of speaking for the region.

“It has been led 98 percent of the time by core Hausa/Fulani Muslims of the core north with a sprinkling of Middle Belters given curious roles over time. The ACF does not care about the plight of the people of Southern Kaduna and indeed for the Middle Belt.

“It is not known to stand for us in the midst of the unrelenting violence visited on us by armed herdsmen.

“That Audu Ogbe, an Idoma man, from the Middle Belt is its current chairman, is nothing but a ruse.

“It is deception to lure the Middle Belt and other parts of the country into thinking that the ACF is such an all-inclusive forum, but we know the puppeteer.

“The ACF cannot speak for SOKAPU. It has never demonstrated any solidarity with our people. It’s hugely out to pursue the agenda of the Hausa/Fulani, which, in most cases, is in opposite directions with our own interest in SOKAPU.

“I don’t know what they want to discuss at the meeting. We have not seen the agenda of the meeting.

“But if SOKAPU will attend, our interest will be first and foremost the security and safety of our area. We shall table the issues of our captured 108 territories and the thousands of internally displaced persons from these areas.

“The issue of restructuring of Nigeria is also on top of our demands. The unjust treatment of our people and unfair infrastructure and project allotment; political appointments, destruction of our traditional institution and irrational demolition of homes and property of our people will also form our agenda.”