THE COALITION of Indigenous Middle Belt Organisations (CIMBO) has thrown its weight behind the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) in rejecting the proposed monthly N1 billion contribution by northern governors to the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund (NNSTF), describing the initiative as contrary to the security interests of the Middle Belt region.
The position is contained in a press statement signed by Prof Ejeikwu Emmanuel Oloja and Dr. Billy Ishaya Laah, CIMBO’s Chairman and Secretary respectively, and made available to National Record.
The coalition urged governors of Middle Belt states to channel such resources towards strengthening security within their respective states through enhanced support for local vigilante groups, intelligence gathering, improved communication networks among communities, and the resettlement and protection of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), rather than committing funds to what it described as a regional security arrangement with “unclear objectives.”
CIMBO said its position aligns with that earlier expressed by the Middle Belt Forum through its spokesman, Luka Binniyat, insisting that governors from the region should prioritise direct investments in community-based security initiatives capable of addressing persistent attacks by terrorists and armed bandits affecting many parts of the Middle Belt.
The coalition questioned the rationale behind the proposed trust fund, arguing that the purpose and intended deployment of the resources remain insufficiently defined.
It maintained that any security funding arrangement that does not expressly guarantee the protection of Middle Belt communities would not serve the interests of the region.
According to the organisation, resources earmarked for the proposed fund would be better utilised in rebuilding communities devastated by years of violent attacks, supporting displaced populations returning to their ancestral homes, strengthening intelligence gathering mechanisms, and enhancing collaboration among local security structures across the Middle Belt states.
CIMBO further argued that the proposed NNSTF should not attract the support of Middle Belt governors because, in its view, the initiative does not adequately reflect the peculiar security challenges confronting the region.
It also reiterated its longstanding position that the Middle Belt should be recognised as a distinct socio-political bloc with unique historical and political interests.
The Coalition of Indigenous Middle Belt Organisations (CIMBO) is an umbrella platform bringing together socio-cultural organisations, youth groups and women’s associations from states regarded as constituting the Middle Belt, including Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Niger, Kogi, Kwara, Taraba, the Federal Capital Territory and indigenous communities in parts of Southern Kaduna, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Kebbi and Northern Cross River.
The organisation describes itself as a unifying parliament for indigenous groups across the region, established to protect and advance the collective political, cultural and socio-economic interests of Middle Belt peoples.
According to the coalition, its ideological roots trace back to the political movement championed by prominent Middle Belt leaders such as the late Joseph Sarwuan Tarka, Patrick Dokotri, David Lot and Gwamna Awan, whose efforts culminated in the formation of the United Middle Belt Congress (UMBC) in 1957.
The UMBC emerged during Nigeria’s First Republic as a political platform advocating greater autonomy and political representation for minority ethnic nationalities in the Middle Belt, many of whom argued that their interests were overshadowed within the then Northern Region.
The coalition also identifies later political figures, including the late Chief Solomon Lar – first civilian governor of Plateau State – and retired Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, among others, as successive custodians of the Middle Belt political vision.
Over the years, the Middle Belt has remained a significant political constituency in Nigeria because of its ethnic diversity, strategic geographical location and electoral importance.
The North-Central geopolitical zone, along with adjoining Middle Belt communities, has frequently been regarded by political analysts as a battleground capable of influencing the outcome of presidential elections, owing to its large voting population and tendency to produce competitive electoral contests.
The region has also endured some of Nigeria’s most persistent security crises, including farmer-herder conflicts, armed banditry, communal violence and terrorist attacks, resulting in thousands of deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of residents across states such as Benue, Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa and Southern Kaduna.
These recurring security challenges have fuelled repeated demands by Middle Belt groups for stronger local security arrangements, improved intelligence gathering and increased federal intervention.
Against this backdrop, CIMBO argued that security funding should be directed towards practical measures capable of addressing the realities confronting communities within the region instead of contributing to broader regional initiatives whose operational framework and accountability mechanisms remain subjects of public debate.
The coalition consequently called on governors of Middle Belt states to remain united in prioritising the safety of their citizens and ensuring that available public resources are invested in security strategies that directly benefit affected communities.
