The Southern and Middlebelt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), has reiterated the call for state policing, as a panacea to halting incessant attacks in the country.
The group, led by Pa. Ayo Adebanjo, leader of the Afenifere (a Yoruba socio-cultural group), made the call on Tuesday in Jos, when it paid a courtesy visit on Gov. Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, in the wake of attacks in the state, and over his victory at the Supreme Court.
While congratulating Mutfwang, the group urged the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, push for the enactment of a legislation that would establish state police.
“We thank God today that we came this week after your victory at the courts. We have doubled our message to include a congratulatory one for you.
“We thank God for your meritorious victory. The Southern and Middlebelt Forum is solidly behind you, please accept our condolences Mr. Governor. This will be the last time we will be here on a condolence visit.
“We want to call on the president to say no to oppression. Enough is enough. He has a chance now to stop the oppression of people by terrorists parading under titles, and wrecking havoc on innocent dwellers in their communities.
“The president comes from a stock of people who are serious about making progress and keeping this country together. He needs to change the constitution to a Federal Autonomous Regional Federation. Let us take care of our security from our revenue. How can a man say he can take care of my house better than myself?” Adebanjo wondered.
He therefore urged President Bola Tinubu, to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous attacks on Barkin-Ladi, Bassa, Bokkos, Mangu, and other local government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
On his part, Mutfwang, while appreciating the leaders of the group for the solidarity showed him, celebrated the group and assured the members that he would execute his mandate of ensuring that life was good for all citizens of Plateau.
“We appreciate this commitment, on behalf of our leader, former Gov. Jonah Jang, and all the elders and great people of Plateau, we want you to register this in your mind, that we are grateful for this visit, it will remain ever fresh in our memories.
“I want to thank you for your show of love and concern towards us. By the grace of God, we will do our best to secure the land.
“We will do our best to ensure that our people are not killed like animals. We will do our best to ensure that our people enjoy the land that God has given them in peace. This is a mandate we have sworn to pursue. God helping us, we will do that.
“This victory has spurred us on, and we must deliver the dividends of democracy to our people. Within the constraints of our resources, we will do our best to ensure that we make life better for them and by the grace of God, Sir, we will not disappoint you,” he said.
The governor also appreciated Tinubu for not interfering with the ruling, saying that it was worth commending.
“The temptation of any leader, particularly in Africa, to interfere in the polity is very high, and when the president exercised restraint, I think we should commend him, so we will continue to do so” Mutfwang added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that some members who made the SMBLF delegation included Dr Pogu Bitrus, Gen. Zamani Lekwot, representative of the Igbo, Calabar and Rivers leaders.
