The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has criticized Sheikh Gumi over his recent calls that the Federal Government should treat bandits operating in the northwestern part of Nigeria as freedom fighters.
The SMBLF, in a statement issued on Thursday titled, Gumi Removes The Veil, took aim at statements made early today by Gumi during a national TV interview.
The statement, was signed by Yinka Odumakin, South West; Chief Guy Ikokwu, South East; Senator Bassey Henshaw, South South and Dr Isuwa Dogo, Middle Belt.
It reads:
“The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) is not in the least surprised by Sheikh Gunmi unveiling of his real being on AIT this morning asking for Amnesty for Bandits whom he said are fighting against the injustices Nigeria has done to the north.
“Part of those injustices must have been electing Buhari twice as President in spite of his scant regard for the sensitivity required of a multiple nation country like Nigeria.
The country for almost 6 years has been soaking all manners of lopsidedness , nepotism and running the country like a Fulani Republic.
“As part of the injustices to the north, Fulani herdsmen have been killing people with reckless abandon in all parts of Nigeria with the administration defending them and giving them soft landing with the open bias of Mr President.
Fulanis are daily pouring into Nigeria to change our demography and Nigeria is doing more in Niger Republic than Nigeria at the moment with resources from non-Fulani areas.
“The injustices Nigeria has done to the North is so much for the bandits to do what they are doing to the rest of us and for Buhari to be looking the other way.
” We want to know from Gumi if the Hausas are protesting the injustices Fulanis are doing to them and the rest of Nigeria or if it is Nigeria that is doing any injustice to the north.
“We know Fulani bandits are doing crimes in all non Fulani communities but Gumi should not confuse us with North except he is on deception all along.
“It is a known fact that the main injustice in Nigeria is the skewed federalism that allows the North to be in almost total control of oil and mineral resources in the Niger Delta and the VAT from other parts of the country to the disadvantage of host communities.
“The Nigeria Ports Authority in Lagos is under the control of a Fulani lady just like most of the agencies in charge of oil and gas in an unhidden agenda of Fulanisation of Nigeria.
This is one of the major reasons SMBLF is in court to challenge the lopsided arrangement.
“It is the Fulani and the core North doing pure injustice to the rest of Nigeria. “