From Joe Obukata Ogbodu, Warri
The Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) issued a statement on Wednesday explaining its call for Southern Nigerian governors to act swiftly on President Bola Tinubu’s security directive.
Signed by Chairman Emmanuel Enebeli and Secretary Shedrack Onitsha, the statement called on governors, as chief security officers, to prioritise protecting lives and property amid escalating violence, kidnappings, and unrest.
“We strongly appeal to the governors of Southern Nigeria to take their constitutional responsibility seriously and act promptly to address the existential threat facing our people,” it read.
DOPF called attention to the escalating security crisis, citing a recent incident in Uromi, Edo State, where 16 people were killed due to tensions with suspected herders, and in Delta State, where farmers have abandoned fields out of fear, causing food insecurity. The forum invoked the Land Use Act, which grants governors land control, urging decisive action to safeguard ancestral lands over political interests.
The group referenced the Emir of Muri, HRH Abbas Njidda Tafida, who issued a 30-day ultimatum to Fulani herdsmen in Taraba State over alleged crimes. “If people in the North can demand their departure, why are Southerners treating them with leniency?” the Emir asked in a viral video, a stance DOPF urged governors to emulate. While advocating collaboration with traditional rulers, DOPF cautioned against engaging those implicated in shielding criminals, noting intelligence reports of such betrayals.
DOPF reminded governors of Tinubu’s directive to Plateau State’s governor to take on security responsibilities, insisting it applies to the South. “The time for rhetoric is over; our people deserve peace, protection, and purposeful governance,” the statement concluded, stressing that inaction is no longer tolerable.