By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Tens of thousands of Middle Belt residents marched through Abuja on Tuesday in a peaceful demonstration demanding that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu officially recognize the Middle Belt as a distinct geo-political region separate from the North. The protesters, representing diverse ethnic nationalities, gathered across major locations in the Federal Capital Territory to press for formal regional identity and administrative autonomy.
The march began early in the morning along Ahmadu Bello Way, Eagle Square, and the Three Arms Zone, where protesters carried banners and placards with bold messages such as “Middle Belt Is Not North!”, “President Tinubu, Recognize Middle Belt Region!” and “No More Forced Assimilation Into the North.” Participants included Tiv, Idoma, Berom, Eggon, Jukun, Igede, Igala, Ebira and several other Middle Belt ethnic groups. Many wore traditional attire and waved both Nigerian flags and green-white-green Middle Belt flags, creating a vibrant display of cultural unity and identity.At the Unity Fountain, Dr. Paul Itodo, the Coordinator of the Middle Belt Consciousness Movement, addressed journalists on the motivation behind the mass action.“
For too long, the Middle Belt has been lumped together with the far North for political convenience,” he said. “We are culturally, historically, and religiously distinct. Policies meant for the core North are often imposed on us, leading to marginalization. Today we say enough is enough.” Dr. Itodo reiterated the group’s demand that the Middle Belt — comprising Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba, Adamawa, Southern Kaduna, Southern Borno, Niger, Southern Yobe, Southern Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, and the Federal Capital Territory — be recognized as its own region. He also called for the establishment of a Middle Belt Development Commission and equitable political representation.One of the protesters, Mrs. Mercy David from Plateau State, became emotional as she spoke about the long-standing identity crisis faced by Middle Belt communities.“We are tired of being called Northerners when our people are killed and our voices silenced in the name of ‘one North,’” she said. “Middle Belt is not North.”
Despite the massive turnout, the protest remained calm and orderly throughout the day, with only a light police presence observed. Many motorists and pedestrians expressed solidarity, honking or raising fists as the procession passed. By 4:30 p.m., a delegation of Middle Belt leaders was received at the Presidential Villa, where they submitted a formal demand letter requesting official recognition of the Middle Belt as a distinct region.Tuesday’s demonstration is considered the largest public show of Middle Belt identity and regional advocacy since the 2023 general elections. Organizers described the march as the beginning of a sustained push for political acknowledgment and administrative restructuring
