By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remove the National Security Adviser, the Minister of Defence, and the Minister of State for Defence, citing concerns over regional imbalance in the country’s security leadership.
In a communiqué issued after its meeting held on November 1, 2025, and released to journalists in Kaduna, the forum acknowledged the president’s recent reshuffle of the Service Chiefs but called for the reform to be extended to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Ministry of Defence.
The communiqué, signed by HRM Oba Oladipo Olaitan (Afenifere), Dr. Bitrus Pogu (Middle Belt Forum), Senator John Azuta-Mbata (Ohanaeze Ndigbo), and Ambassador Godknows Igali (PANDEF), stated that all the current holders of these key defence positions come from one section of the country.
The forum emphasized that a broader and more inclusive security architecture would ensure national balance and enhance public trust. “We urge the President to extend this reform to the ONSA, the Minister of Defence, and the Minister of State for Defence, all of whom are presently from one section of the country,” the communiqué stated.
SMBLF also expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s past designation by the United States as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged religious persecution, describing it as a wake-up call for the federal government to act decisively against militias, killer herdsmen, and terrorist groups across affected states.
The leaders urged the federal government to reclaim lands seized by armed groups and restore them to their rightful owners across Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, Taraba, Gombe, Southern Borno, Southern Kebbi, and other parts of the country.
On the issue of detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, SMBLF reaffirmed its support for Nigeria’s unity and coexistence while urging President Tinubu to consider his release as a national reconciliatory gesture. “Without prejudice to his ongoing trial, we reiterate our call that the President, as father of the nation, adopts a nationalist approach and empowers the Attorney-General to set in motion the necessary constitutional machinery to effect Kanu’s release,” the communiqué read.
The forum further resolved that its 2021 decision—insisting that Nigeria’s presidency should rotate to the South—remains applicable to the 2027 general elections. “We enjoin all political parties and actors to respect this established national political culture,” it added.
