We’ll accommodate Igbos if north chases them away – Middle Belt group

The Middle Belt Youth Council (MBYC) has
said that the Middle Belt region will
accommodate the Igbos if the north chases
them out of their states.
Part of a statement allegedly signed by the
group’s President, Emma Zopmal, and as seen
on an online medium, The Breaking Times,
read that the Middle Belt is ready to offer
Ndigbo asylum anytime, any day.
“We wish to express our profound gratitude to
God for keeping us alive today. Middle Belt
Youth Council is extremely concerned about
the ongoing regional tension in Nigeria today
and we want to make our position clear to the
world.
“In the light of incessant threats to one
Nigeria posed by killer-herdsmen, we want to
call on good people of Middle Belt to first of
all, support the Anti-grazing Bill.
“Grazing by Fulani herdsmen on our land has
become the major cause of conflicts in our
region. Therefore, we’re calling for total ban on
open grazing so as to save the lives of our
people and their farmlands.
“Secondly, it’s no longer news that our country
Nigeria is facing a daunting challenge of peace
and unity but we want to assure the good
citizens of Nigeria that we have been a peace-
loving people and we’ll continue to be.
“But, in an event one part of the country
decides to go away as a separate entity,
Middle Belt is also ready to make an
independent statement. We want to clarify
those who think that the Middle Belt is part of
the North: God created everywhere and
everyone and He gave it to whom he chooses
and Middle Belt is a creation of God and not
man (Usman bn Fodio).
“Therefore, we choose what to use our land
for, how to run it and where we want to be.
“Middle Belt has been a home for the
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, South-South and the South-
West without any form of discrimination
against anyone.
“We’ve accommodated every Nigerian for
centuries now. We deserve respect and
commendations.”