•SMBLF logo and Tinubu
The Forum of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders have condemned the acts of banditry and terrorism inflicted on Nigerians and security operatives in Borno, Kebbi, Kaduna and Kwara states within the last few days and called on government at all levels to rise up to the disturbing challenge.
The regional leaders specifically lamented the killing of Brigadier – General Uba Musa by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists, in an ambush on Sunday in Damboa, Borno state, abduction of 25 school girls in Kebbi state on Monday and killing and abduction of worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church ( CAC ) in Eruku, Kwara State on Tuesday.
They also raised concern over the political trajectory of the ruling party and leaders in their effort at making the country a one party state, reports Channels TV.
According to the leaders of the SMBLF, this action of the current leadership under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is threatening democracy.
Reading a communique after a meeting of the leaders forum yesterday in Abuja His Royal Majesty Oba Oladipo Olaitan, on behalf of the group called on the leadership of the ruling political party to put a check on the rising tendencies of decamping and tilting political alliances without due consideration of ideology and political persuasion.
Oba Olaitan disclosed that Southern and middle belt leaders forum notes with very serious concern the state of factionalisation and internal strives which seems to be occurring amongst some of the main opposition political parties. In particular, the very barbaric show-of-shame which occurred at the National Secretariat of the main opposition party People Democratic Party on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, led separately by a serving Minister in the cabinet of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR on the one hand and serving Governors on the other.
The forum notes that despite the designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern by the Trump administration and the attendant implications, insecurity continues to ravage large in the land, including the unfortunate recent killing of Brigadier General Uba and his colleagues in Borno State. Even more brazen is the abduction of students from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State.
Other heightened incidents of insecurity were also reported in Kaduna State, including the killing of an abducted ECWA pastor, James Audu Issah, others in Kwara State and Kogi during this period.
Reports reaching the Forum shows that those predominantly being killed are Christians and indigenous populations and those carrying out these killings are predominantly Fulanis and Kanuris from within and outside our borders.
See the communique issued below:
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF MEETING OF SOUTHERN AND MIDDLE BELT LEADERS FORUM HELD IN ABUJA ON WEDNESDAY, 19TH NOVEMBER, 2025
A meeting of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) took place on Wednesday, 19th November, 2025 at PANDEF’s liaison office in Abuja. The meeting was chaired by HRM Oba Olaitan, National Leader, Afenifere, with other regional leaders in attendance. These included Dr. Pogu Bitrus, (ably represented) National President of the Middle Belt Forum and Dr. Godknows Igali, National President, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).
Delegations from the South West, South East and South-South included former Governors, former Senators, former members of the Federal Executive Council, traditional rulers and other leaders of thought from these parts of the country.
The meeting discussed issues pertaining to the state of the nation and recent developments in the country that impinge on the sustenance of democracy as well as the economic and social development of Nigeria.
RESOLUTIONS
After exhaustive deliberations, the meeting resolved as follows:
SUSTENANCE OF DEMOCRACY:
i. SMBLF expresses grave concern over the turn of events in the national democratic space, especially as it pertains to the imperative of multi-party democracy and the sustenance of political pluralism.
We condemn in the strongest terms the emerging tendency among the political class to railroad the country towards single party control of the key democratic structures at the federal and subnational levels.
We therefore call on the leadership of the ruling political party to put a check on the rising tendencies of decamping and tilting political alliances without due consideration of ideology and political persuasion.
ii. Furthermore, SMBLF notes with very serious concern the state of factionalization and internal strives which seems to be occurring amongst some of the main opposition political parties. In particular, the very barbaric show-of-shame which occurred at the National Secretariat of the main opposition party People Democratic Party on Tuesday, 18th November, 2025, led separately by a serving Minister in the cabinet of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR on the one hand and serving Governors on the other.
iii. The meeting condemns in its entirety the deployment and brazen use of security and law enforcement officers, especially men of the Nigeria Police Force for partisan political activities anddisruptions to the nation’s nascent democratic evolution.
iv. We note with total disapproval the emerging nonchalance of the political parties’ regulator and electoral umpire, the Independent Electoral Commission, now led by Prof Joash Amupitan, SAN in taking timely actions to redirect the emerging political trends ahead of 2027 general elections
2. INSECURITY:
i. SMBLF notes with concern that despite the designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern by the Trump administration and the attendant implications, insecurity continues to ravage large in the land, including the unfortunate recent killing of Brigadier General Uba and his colleagues in Borno State. Even more brazen is the abduction of students from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State. Other heightened incidents of insecurity were also reported in Kaduna State, including the killing of an abducted ECWA pastor, James Audu Issah, others in Kwara State and Kogi during this period. Reports reaching the SMBLF show that those predominantly being killed are Christians and indigenous populations and those carrying out these killings are predominantly Fulanis and Kanuris from within and outside our borders.
ii. SMBLF calls on the Federal Authorities to put an immediate end to these violent acts of extremists hell bent on conducting ethnic cleansing and genocide within the territorial boundary of Nigeria.
iii. We convey our deepest condolences to the families of Gen. Uba and his colleagues, as well as to the Nigeria Army at this challenging time. More importantly we urge the Federal Government to deploy maximum resources to rescue the abducted school girls. SBMLF urges the Federal Government to take these developments most seriously and remain open to possible global partners, including the Americans with sincerity and not take unilateral actions. The Federal Government is called upon to urgently make public program for the rehabilitation and resettlement of the displaced and impacted families bac to their ancestral homelands in the Middle Belt.
3. NATIONAL STRIKES (ASUU, RESIDENT DOCTORS):
i. The Forum note the ongoing demands by various unions of the academic community toward per ing commitments by the Federal Government to its members, especially ASUU and we are calling on the Federal Government to continue negotiating with ASUU to forestall any strike
ii. We are also calling on the Federal Government to complete negotiations with resident doctored put an end to the ongoing strike action. Ordinary Nigerians who cannot afford private treatment are the ones suffering the ongoing strike. We therefore call on the Resident Doctors to agree with the government to bring lasting resolution to these issues and end strikes in the medical sector.
Done in Abuja
This 19th day of November, 2025
Signed:
1. HRH Oba Olaitan
Leader, Afenifere
2. Dr. Pogu Bitrus
President-General, Middle Belt Forum
3. Ambassador Godknows Boladei Igali, PhD, OON
National Chairman, PANDEF
