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President of the Middle Belt Forum, Pogu Bitrus, has spoken out on the unrelenting violence plaguing the North-Central region of Nigeria.

In a recent interview, Bitrus outlined what he believes to be the true cause of the ongoing attacks and suggested practical measures to address the escalating crisis.

How do you view the persistent violence in the North-Central region?

First and foremost, we reject the “farmers-herders” narrative. What we’re witnessing is not a clash but targeted assaults by Fulani militants on farming communities and innocent civilians in the North-Central zone. The nature of these attacks has changed where once they involved shooting, attackers now burn people alive in their homes. This is a disturbing and horrific development in the tactics of terrorism in Nigeria.

It’s especially troubling that for years, we’ve pointed out the exact locations these attackers are coming from notably, Nasarawa State. From there, they launch attacks on Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, and Taraba. Despite being informed, security agencies have failed to act. Citizens raise alarms, but no one comes to their aid. Security officials, paid by taxpayers, know the whereabouts of these terrorists but allow them to act without consequence.

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What’s your evaluation of the federal government’s response so far?

The federal government has refused to empower citizens to protect themselves or to sufficiently support community defense. People are being slaughtered while the government remains passive. This situation must stop if we claim to have a functioning government.

Let me highlight what many overlook: the individuals holding top security positions are predominantly from one ethnic group. The National Security Adviser, the Minister of Defense, and the Minister of State for Defense all Fulani. We’ve even heard the deputy to the NSA is Fulani as well.

In a diverse country like Nigeria, where the Fulani make up about 20 percent of the population, this kind of imbalance in leadership is alarming. Why does it appear that these appointments serve to facilitate attacks rather than protect the people? This situation is intolerable. We see what’s happening, and it must be stopped. Enough is enough.

Some believe these attacks amount to coordinated ethnic cleansing. Do you agree?

Yes, that is precisely my view. What’s happening in Benue is no different from what’s taking place in Plateau and elsewhere it’s a campaign of violence against specific ethnic groups. These militants are terrorizing communities and displacing them from their lands. A visit to any IDP camp will reveal the suffering caused by Fulani militants taking over ancestral territories.

Disturbingly, the government appears to reward them. For instance, in Plateau, large plots of land are being allocated to these groups. Why aren’t lands being given in Sokoto, Zamfara, or Kaduna where many of them originate? Instead, they are allowed to invade the Middle Belt, kill, displace, and settle in our homes. Nigeria faces a serious problem. Though we may seem silent, we are not ignorant.

Could the anti-open grazing law in Benue be the cause of these attacks?

Not at all. That law was introduced because of the attacks not the other way around. The violence began long before the legislation came into effect. These attacks have been ongoing in Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, and parts of Taraba for years.

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People are slaughtered in the hundreds, and the perpetrators walk free. Every time, we mourn, then move on until another, worse attack happens. The open grazing ban was designed to curb this crisis.

Ranching is the only solution. But instead of embracing it, Fulani leaders have reportedly brought in their kinsmen from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Togo, and Senegal to settle in Nigeria and alter its demographic balance. They want to dominate through numbers and land seizure.

If ranching were implemented and managed by local communities, each region would be able to distinguish their native Fulani who have lived there since independence. Those individuals could be granted land for ranching not foreign infiltrators who come to claim ownership.

We are not ignorant. Our ancestors resisted colonial rule and we too will defend our land, our identity, and our right to exist.

What steps should be taken to end the violence and restore peace?

The only practical solution, given the federal government’s failure, is the establishment of state-controlled policing in every local government area. Security must be rooted in local structures to avoid chaos. While some areas have vigilante groups, these efforts have fallen short.

Another critical step is to revoke the controversial protocol endorsed by former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, which permits unrestricted movement of Fulani herders across the country. That policy must be repealed, and foreign Fulani expelled to their countries to conduct their business there, not here.

We must transition to community-based ranching systems, where each locality knows its native herders and can establish formal agreements. This model, practiced globally, is the only path forward for livestock management in Nigeria.

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