South-West, South-East, South-South and Middle Belt leaders on Saturday, united against the threat of Fulani herdsmen and called for a new fiscal formula that would move Nigeria from its current dependence on oil and gas revenues to a fully diversified economy.
The leaders admonished the Federal Government to immediately disarm all herdsmen in the country and bring an end to the terror unleashed on farmers by the nomads.
During the consultative meeting held in Abuja, Chief Edwin Clark led the South-South delegation; Chief Ayo Adebanjo led the South-West delegation; Gen. Ike Nwachukwu led the South-East delegation while Prof. Jerry Gana, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, former Governor Idris Wada and Gen. David Jemibewon (retd.) led the Middle Belt delegation.
Also at the summit were Chief Olu Falae, Prof. Banji Akintoye, Chief Albert Horsefall, Chief Guy Ikoku, Basil Paul and Bala Kakaya, among others.
The high-powered delegation from the Middle Belt and the South unanimously agreed that “there was a little difference between Fulani herdsmen and Boko Haram.”
According to them, the only difference is that Boko Haram is wreaking havoc in the North-East and North West, while the Fulani herdsmen are unleashing terror in the South and Middle Belt regions.
Rising from the summit, the group in a communique read by Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin, said, “We have resolved to put an end to these herdsmen immediately and bring an end to this organised terror being unleashed on the South and Middle Belt states.”
They also expressed support for Nigeria “as one nation under God.”
The leaders restated their calls for restructuring of the nation in line with the recommendation of the 2014 National Conference and called for the placement of the report before the National Assembly.
The summit also demanded the devolution of powers and functions to the federating units to enable each unit to effectively serve the development interests of the people.
The communique read in part, “As a logical derivative, we must work out a new fiscal formula that will move Nigeria away from the
