The Kaduna State chapter of the Middle Belt Forum has said the abrogation of indigene/settler dichotomy by Governor Nasir el-Rufai was a deliberate effort targeted at them.
MBF Secretary, John Haruna, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
The forum added that the governor’s action amounted to “a deliberate effort to eradicate, wipe out, eliminate, exterminate thousands of years of history, languages, cultures and diverse distinct identifies”, and vowed that it’ll be resisted.
The statement reads, “The Middle Belt Forum position is that the hovernor’s abrogation of settler indigene dictonomy amounts to a deliberate effort to eradicate, wipe out, eliminate, exterminate thousands of years of history, languages, cultures and diverse distinct identifies.
“If people from other states and countries like Chad, Niger, Mali, Turkey etc. can come to Kaduna and be given same rights as the (abolished) indigenes, will indigenes from Kaduna or Kogi be given same right as indigene in Kastina, Sokoto, kano, Kebbi, Born, Zamfara etc.
“This isolation and targeted dehumanisation must be resisted by all people of goodwill within and outside Nigeria. History has shown that the worst genocide, killing entire member of indigenous communities have been carried out by seeking to declare the ancestral territories of the people’s land as ‘no man’s land’.
“Today, members of many communities, especially Adara Nation in Kaduna State for instance are subjected to genocide killing. Their homes land has been balkanised into Kajuru Emirate and Kachia Chiefdom. The Adara Nation is victims today, tommorow other Kaduns indigenes and later, it will be Choboks, Igalas, Yorubas, Igbos, Efiks and Kanuris.
“The Forum call on well meaning Nigerians to reject, condemn, and and comprehensively say a resounding no to el-Rufai’s attempt to eradicate people privileges and rights.
“I want to draw our attention to yet another renew onslaught and attack currently going on accross the Middle Belt Region, Southern Kaduna in particular, when we taught that peace was gradually returning to the troubled zone.
“Let the indigenous Nigerians accross the states from the Middle Belt Region rise now and say no, our soldiers should refuse their dubious command and secure their people. Senate and house of representative members should stand up to their duties and stop this evil before they destroy all of us. we are tired of giving mass burial to innocent souls across the Middle Belt region.
“The forum unequivocally condemns in it totality the killings that took place in Zango Kataf and other part of the Middle Belt and commiserate with the entire families of those that lost their lives and pray for quick recovery of those that sustained injuries of various degrees.
“The renewed attack by these blood thirsty herdsmen is a reflection of the resurging insecurity ripping across various communities in the Middle Belt, in Kaduna State, agent of terror have continued to let loose their long fang of horror and spreading dread as tension continue to brew in Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.”
