Several prominent groups, including the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), and the Ijaw National Congress (INC), have raised vehement objections to the creation of a 1,144-man militia by the Fulani socio-cultural association, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.
Miyetti Allah recently launched the militia, purportedly to address escalating security challenges in Nasarawa State, with intentions to extend its presence nationwide.
However, the move has ignited widespread concern, particularly in Southern and Middle Belt regions, with fears of potential violent resistance against the newly formed militia.
President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Bitrus Pogu, expressed deep concerns about the potential consequences of allowing such a militia to operate openly.
He stressed the urgent need for other ethnic nationalities and interest groups to establish their own security outfits as a countermeasure to any perceived threat posed by Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.
“So, to come out in the open with this outfit with the government not doing anything, is a licence for us to form our own groups so that we can respond accordingly.
“The implication of this is that we are turning into Somalia, as we are going to have warlords all over the country since the security agencies could not do their job the way they should,” he told Daily Sun.
On his part, the president of the Ijaw National Congress, Prof Benjamin Okaba, highlighted the severe insecurity in the country and called on various ethnic groups to remain vigilant, suggesting that the formation of such militias might indicate a broader strategy by Miyetti Allah.
His words: “It is a wake-up call to all ethnic nationalities in Nigeria to do the same; governments and other ethnic nationalities that have suffered the pains of atrocious movement of these people should be careful because this might be a pointer to some other actions they might want to take in the future.”
Meanwhile, The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said it would vehemently resist the Miyetti Allah Vigilante in the South-east.
In a statement he released to journalists on Friday, the group’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, said IPOB has some doubts about the formation of the Fulani vigilante outfit.
Powerful alleged that the formation of the vigilante group was a ploy by the group to spread its tentacles across the country.
“IPOB is not against anyone, group, or ethnic groups for setting up vigilante groups to defend themselves since Nigeria’s security architecture has been heavily compromised and failed and infiltrated by terrorists and sponsors.
“However, we are concerned about the code name and the stated mission behind the formation of the group,” he said.
The Igbo National Council (INC) also rejected the idea of Miyetti Allah spreading its vigilante outfit nationwide, urging President Bola Tinubu to take decisive action against the group.
In response to the mounting concerns, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) acknowledged the potential benefits of the vigilante scheme in curbing criminal activities.
However, they stressed the critical need for careful implementation and oversight to prevent unintended negative consequences.
NEF spokesperson Abdul-Azeez Suleiman said: “It is in response to this alarming situation that the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a prominent Fulani socio-cultural group, has launched a vigilance scheme aimed at curbing these activities.
“However, it is also important to critically examine the potential consequences of such a scheme.”
