Middle Belt Forum Criticizes NSA Ribadu for Downplaying Armed Group Control and Victim Hardships

The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has issued a strong rebuke of comments made by National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, over his perceived dismissal of violent attacks and territorial occupation by armed groups across Nigeria, particularly in Benue State.

In a press statement released by Luka Binniyat, MBF’s National Publicity Secretary, the group condemned Ribadu’s remarks during his recent condolence visit to Benue State Governor, Father Hyacinth Alia, describing them as inaccurate, insensitive, and dangerous.

“To claim that no territory is under the control of armed groups contradicts well-documented realities. Entire communities in Benue, Southern Kaduna, Plateau, and other parts of the country remain under militant occupation,” said Binniyat.

Ribadu’s visit followed recent mass killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen, which have resulted in dozens of deaths, mass displacement, and the expansion of IDP camps. Yet during his visit, Ribadu reportedly downplayed the scale of the crisis, framing it as part of a global security trend and denying that militants hold any territory.

The MBF criticized this stance, calling it a denial of justice to victims.

“To suggest no one occupies their lands is to strip the displaced of their dignity and erase their suffering,” the forum said.

The MBF also questioned the credibility of the ongoing “North Central Workshop on Developing a National Framework on Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration” being held in Makurdi under the NSA’s supervision.

The forum raised concerns that such frameworks may echo the Kaduna amnesty model, where “repentant terrorists” in Birnin Gwari were reportedly granted amnesty and rehabilitation without justice for their victims.

“These men were responsible for kidnappings, arson, and mass killings. Yet no recognition or restitution was offered to the families whose lives were destroyed,” Binniyat lamented.

The MBF warned that disarmament efforts targeting vulnerable communities, many of which have armed themselves for self-defense using crude weapons, would be misguided without a clear distinction between aggressors and defenders.

“Disarming endangered communities while pampering terrorists sends the wrong message. These communities need lawful access to light weapons, training, and supervised protection,” the statement emphasized.

The forum further cited comments by DSS Director General Oluwatosin Ajayi in February 2025, who encouraged communities to take first responder roles in defending themselves against attacks.

The MBF reiterated its longstanding call for the establishment of:

• State Police

• Local Government Police

• Ward-Level Security Units

It insisted that Nigeria must move toward localized, community-embedded policing, and that amnesty or reintegration initiatives must go through legal frameworks, with transparency and public input.

“The same amnesty that failed to stop Boko Haram’s insurgency in the Northeast cannot be replicated blindly across other regions. Governance must be responsible, compassionate, and justice-driven,” Binniyat concluded.

The MBF called on the NSA to provide leadership that reassures victims, not one that appeases terrorists.