The apex Northern sociocultural group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has decried the perceived maltreatment of the indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and advocated for the creation of their own state.
In his opening remarks at the meeting of the board of trustees (BoT) of the forum, Alhaji Bashir M. Dalhatu chairman of ACF BoT said, the law creating the FCT Abuja in 1976 specified a number of actions to be taken by the federal government as preconditions for the area to become the federal capital territory and that one important condition was that the indigenous population within the area demarcated as FCT would be paid adequate compensation and relocated to the neighbouring states that currently include present-day Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Kogi and Kaduna.
“It has been about 50 years since that law was passed, but the federal government has failed to adequately implement its provisions. As a matter of fact and much to the regret of fair-minded Nigerians, the indigenous people of the FCT have been forcefully driven away from their ancestral land and rendered landless and homeless through no fault of theirs.”
He posited that the indigenous people of the FCT have suffered such injustice and that it is time for Nigeria to fulfil its obligations to them through the creation of their own state within the federation of Nigeria.
“This injustice and maltreatment of the indigenous people of the FCT Abuja call for an urgent review. The time has come
for Nigeria to fulfil its obligations towards the indigenous people of Abuja, including the creation of their own state within the federation of Nigeria,” he said.
Meanwhile, he reiterated the forum’s stance that the North will only support politicians who care about the region’s interests and are willing to promote and protect them come 2027.
This is even as he said that the current preoccupation with the 2027 national elections is premature and a disservice to the principle of the 4-year term limit given to elected officials.
However, he said that, for the moment, Northern Nigeria is watching and auditing the actions of elected and appointed officials, especially at the federal level.
“As a matter of fact, we have received a number of proposals from some of our elders that this body appoints a special committee that will conduct a detailed study and a review of the policies, projects and programs embarked upon by the current government and determine how they have impacted the various parts of the country, particularly Northern Nigeria.
“This is perhaps the best way to determine whether or not our interests are being sufficiently accommodated. For the avoidance of doubt, we must reiterate our faith in the principle that says all politics is local.
“In other words, Northern Nigeria will remain faithful not to particular politicians or political parties but to those who care about our regional interests and are willing to promote and protect them”.
The BoT chairman also averred that Northern Nigeria is clearly bedevilled by numerous existential challenges today, adding that what is not in doubt is the fact that the North has in abundance what it takes to compete and prevail in any fair competition within the federation of Nigeria and even within the larger African continent.
He emphasised that “the North has 19 out of the 36 states and also has the FCT as a component. We have a majority in the Senate, the House of Representatives, the National Economic Council as well as the Council of States.
“The North occupies close to 75% of Nigeria’s land area and about 60% of the population. This area is big, and this strength can never be subdued by any opponent, provided we remain united and place our region above all other considerations. No questions about it, united we stand, divided we fall,” he stressed.
The Bot chairman also observed that the insecurity in Northern Nigeria has not improved, stressing that despite the best efforts of increasingly overstretched security forces, it has gotten worse and keeps deteriorating by the day.
“Senseless killings have persisted in parts of Plateau, Borno, Benue, Niger, Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara, and other parts of the North. In spite of this, we wish to assure all the people of the North of our determination to take all necessary measures in consultation and collaboration with our political, traditional, religious and other leaders to bring this crisis to an end in the shortest time possible.
“While on the subject of violence and killings, we must review and condemn in the strongest possible terms, the growing hostility and attacks against Northerners who choose to live or pursue livelihoods in the Southern states of Nigeria. Even innocent Northerners on journeys through Southern states get killed or subjected to inhumane treatment, a tragedy which, unfortunately, successive administrations in this country have failed to stop.”
ACF said the maltreatment and attacks on Northerners in the South are especially ironic and painful given the fact that, for centuries, the North has kept its doors wide open and welcomed people from all parts of Nigeria, courtesy of the North’s unlimited hospitality and brotherhood.
“ It is deeply regrettable, therefore, that Southerners have refused to reciprocate this noble gesture by the North. In fact, in many parts of the South, especially in the Southeast, a Northerner cannot expect to acquire one square foot of land, not to speak of owning any significant landed property.
“The time has come for governors and legislators in the Northern states to carry through a comprehensive reform of the system of land ownership and control. The need for this reform is self-evident, especially given the current mad scramble for land in the North by foreigners. Authorities in the North must ensure that Northerners do not become landless in their own territory.
“As you all might have noticed, the growing hostility and hate mongering against Northerners in the South appears to be exacerbated by the current unequal and discriminatory policies of the federal government toward the North.
“These negative developments have prompted a growing disenchantment and disillusionment amongst Northerners against the Federation of Nigeria. Some in the North now openly question the rationale or justification for remaining in the union,” he said.
Major political leaders, including former governors, serving and retired politicians, Northern organisations, including the Northern Elders Forum, the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, the League of Northern Democrats, Arewa Movement for Good Governance, Jam’iyan Matan Arewa, and the Arewa Research and Development Project, were in attendance.
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