South, M/Belt leaders reject amnesty for bandits

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), yesterday, rejected the amnesty proposal for bandits as suggested by prominent Northern Islamic scholar, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi.

The forum was reacting to Sheikh Gumi’s statement, saying the bandits were fighting injustices in Nigeria meted to the North.

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The spokesmen of the group, Yinka Odumakin (South West), Chief Guy Ikokwu (South East), Senator Bassey Henshaw (South  South) and Dr Isuwa Dogo (Middle Belt), in a statement, disagreed with Gumi, saying instead it was the Fulani and the core North doing “pure injustice” to other parts of Nigeria.

This, they said explained why the forum was in court to challenge the alleged nepotism and lopsidedness in the running of Nigeria’s affairs.

The forum in a sarcastic tone said, “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 country like Nigeria.”

According to them, “The country for almost six years has been soaking in all manners of lopsidedness and nepotism.

“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.”