The National President, Middle Belt Forum, Dr Bitrus Pogu, has said the Buhari Government should not think all Nigerians are fools by turning a blind eye to atrocities committed by the real terrorists, whilst going after Nigerians whose crime is to defend their land.
Pogu made the statement while speaking with TRIBUNE on the recent disclosure by the nation's Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), where he accused Sunday Igboho of several business dealings to the tune of millions of naira, with a company belonging to a lawmaker believed to be among many sponsors of terrorism in the country.
While describing the allegation as diversionary, he said the Middle Belt knows very well the enemies it is dealing with and the agenda at play, and warned South not to allow itself to be fooled into allowing its land be taken over by terrorists.
He said, “It is a ridiculous diversion from reality. A few days ago, a railway line was bombed by people whom the Federal Government has refused to label terrorists. They are given all sorts of names like banditry, militia, gunmen, to shield them from proper prosecution.
“But it is unfortunate that the likes of Igboho and Kanu, who are freedom fighters defending their territories from attack, are being labelled terrorists because they are not Hausa/Fulani. It is ridiculous, this government needs to come out clean because by doing this they are telling us that they are behind all the insurgency happening in the North.
“When the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice contradicted Mr President on the issue of state of emergency in Anambra State, we said such a person should be removed from the government, but it is unfortunate that we have such a character in government.
“Nigerians are not fools. You cannot say these people who are killing innocent souls, bombing rail lines, shooting down aircraft are just bandits, but Igboho and Kanu who are organising their people to defend their lands are terrorists.
“It is unfortunate that we are in a country where double standards prevails. It is high time people in the South started realising what is happening in Nigeria. They have been fooled into backing these people blindly. They should stand up and defend their territory. As far as we are concerned in the Middle Belt, our motto is “our land, our people.”
Similarly, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief Sola Ebiseni, said the latest development indicated that the Federal Government is hell-bent on destroying the Yoruba Nation campaigner.
The organisation said: “The Federal Government with its Attorney-General will not stop amusing themselves with illogical reasoning on the nationality question.
“It is expected that the AGF would be guided by the standard of a reasonable man which is a central test in legal inquiry before addressing the public.
“The Federal Government and its security agencies should pay the damages awarded against them, apologise to Igboho and his household for the acts of terrorism committed against the peaceful campaigner.
“The Federal Government may continue to play the ostrich but the whole world knows those who enacted, engineered and continue to promote terrorism in Nigeria.”