By Sani Idris-Abdulrahman

A group, Civic Coalition Against Mass Atrocities in the Middle Belt, has called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene in the escalating violence across the Middle Belt region.

Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday in Kaduna, Gloria Ballason, Convener of the coalition, decried ongoing attacks and mass abductions that had claimed countless lives.

Ballason listed the affected states as Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Kaduna, Borno, Gombe, and Adamawa.

She stated that entire communities in these states had been displaced and resettled by the perpetrators of violence.

According to Ballason, the crisis appears to be linked to the upcoming national census, the 2027 general elections, and efforts to institutionalise the livestock ministry.

She further expressed concern over the emergence of new terrorist fronts in Niger and Kwara specifically Lakurawa and Mamuda, which had heightened fears regarding safety and security in the region.

“A careful mapping of the attacks reveals a pattern of systematic ethnic cleansing, with over 20,000 square kilometers of land seized across Benue, Nasarawa, and Plateau states.

“The violence is crippling farming and resilience mechanisms in Nigeria’s breadbasket, thereby threatening national food security,” she said.

Ballason warned that the attackers aimed to eliminate inhabitants and terrify survivours into fleeing, thereby redrawing electoral maps and undermining the future of democratic governance.

She stressed that President Bola Tinubu must grasp the severity of the situation and immediately deploy necessary resources to address it.

According to her, a coordinated regional defence strategy involving middle belt governors and the National Security Adviser is essential.

She added that governors of border states should also be involved to tackle the root causes of the crisis.

She said displaced communities must be returned to their ancestral lands with executive and political support to prevent further sabotage.

Ballason also called for an integrated intelligence framework that combined local insights with technical capabilities.

She suggested that inter-community security collaboration and geo-spatial tools could help prevent future attacks.

“The Firearms Act needs to be reformed to enable communities to defend themselves. Illegally deposed traditional rulers and scrapped chiefdoms must be restored, and cultural heritage protected,” she said.

She further urged the judiciary to demonstrate a firm commitment to justice through the swift prosecution of perpetrators.

She added that food security and the right to vote for displaced communities must be safeguarded.

Ballason also advocated for the establishment of a Special Crisis Accountability Bureau to ensure justice and accountability for crimes committed.

She called on the federal government to prioritise security and welfare by dispatching aid to distressed communities.

Reaffirming the coalition’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote peace, justice, and accountability, she stressed the urgent need for government action.

“Immediate intervention is essential to prevent further devastation.

“The future of elective government and food security hangs in the balance. Communities are counting on the government to act,” she concluded.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the coalition comprises members from Middle Belt Concern, House of Justice, Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation (TP-MPF).

Others are, Srarina Initiative for Peace, Justice and Development (SIPJAD), and Resilience Aid Initiative (RADI), and Molluma Yakubu Centre for Medical Law and Mass Atrocities Prevention and Accountability.

Southern Kaduna Resilience Fund (SKARF), Crime Prevention and Counseling Centre (CPCC), Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria (CHAIN), Middle Belt Patriots, and Middle Belt Times, are among the coalition.

Southern Kaduna Journalists Forum (SKJF), Steven Dangana Foundation (SDF), Stride Leadership Foundation (SLF), African Missions Network (AMNET), and Joint Hands for Peace and Youth Empowerment, among others compete the list.(NAN)