Middle Belt group wants restructuring before 2027

The Coalition of Indigenous Middle Belt Organisations is mobilising stakeholders to demand for the participation of the Middle Belt indigenous ethnic nationalities as equal partners in the Nigerian federation.

Its Chairman, Mr Timothy Gandu, stated this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, to announce the organisation’s National Delegates Conference scheduled for Aug. 9 to 10, 2024 in Kaduna.

“We shall, through peaceful, but in diligent and persistent manner, ensure that the goals set out by us are achieved.

“We shall meet with other indigenous ethnic nationalities in the country to put forward the demand to restructure Nigeria before 2027.

“The goal is to give room for the participation of the Middle Belt indigenous ethnic nationalities as equal partners in the Nigerian federation,” he said.

He explained that the conference with the theme, “Restructuring and Enactment of the Peoples Constitution, Panacea to Peace and Good Growth of the Nation” would discuss and consolidate their demands for participation.

He said that CIMBO was established in 2023 following a call by the Coalition of Indigenous Ethnic Nationalities in Nigeria for indigenous ethnic nationalities across the country to come up with their positions on restructuring.

“CIMBO is of the strong view that Nigeria has a constitution that has not given recognition to the minorities in consonance with the United Nation declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious, and Linguistic Minorities in 1992, and the United Nation Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007.

“This includes the people of the Middle Belt of Nigeria, with over 400 ethnic groups and a population estimated at more than 44 million people as at 2016,” he said.

Gandu added that the 2014 National Conference Report recommended the creation of more states and eight geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

The chairman stressed that based on the report, the middle belt was supposed to have three zones – Middle Belt East, Middle Belt Central and Middle Belt West given its land size and population.

He said: “The non-actualisation of the 2014 Confab recommendations and the promulgation of laws and policies detrimental to the people of the middle belt has necessitated the call for all indigenous ethnic organisations to meet and reinforce their stand as a bloc in Nigeria.

“The meeting is attracting over 100 delegates, representative of the over 400 indigenous ethnic nationalities of the Middle Belt.

“Principal amongst the issues to be discussed at the conference are the need to maintain our identity and have control of our ethnic lands, heritage and resources.

“Other issues are the removal of our ethnic groups from internal oppression, suppression and colonialism; to be part of the Nigerian federation and to benefit equally and equitably like all other groups in the nation.

“We also want to support and reinforce all positive actions of Middle Belt organisations, like the Middle Belt Forum, Conference of Autochthonous Ethnic Nationalities Community Development Associations, and Kwararafa People’s Assembly among others.”

NAN.