A coalition of ethnic leaders from Northern Nigeria has issued a stern warning to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, demanding urgent action to ...
A coalition of ethnic leaders from Northern Nigeria has issued a stern warning to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, demanding urgent action to tackle the deepening insecurity across the region.
In a communiqué released after a high-level meeting in Abuja on Sunday, the Northern Ethnic Nationalities Forum called for the immediate overhaul of the country’s security architecture, including the dismissal of all current service chiefs. The forum also urged the President to embark on a new phase of reform consolidation and declare a state of emergency on security in the entire Northern region.
Dr. Dominic Alancha, Convener of the forum, who read the communiqué, decried the daily attacks on Northern communities by terrorists, bandits, and criminal gangs, saying the region is now gripped by fear and lawlessness.
“Kidnapping for ransom has become a booming industry. Farmers can no longer access their farmlands, and major highways have turned into death traps. This is unacceptable,” he said.
Alancha criticised the current service chiefs for failing to stem the tide of violence despite massive budgetary allocations for security.
“Their tenure has been marked by an alarming rise in bold, deadly attacks and a growing sense of hopelessness among our people. The existing security structure has failed. We, therefore, call for a fundamental overhaul of Nigeria’s security leadership,” he said.
Key Demands by the Forum include:
Immediate dismissal and replacement of all service chiefs with “fresh, innovative military leaders” who have a clear mandate and timeline to deliver measurable results.
Declaration of a state of emergency on security in the Northern region—not to militarise communities, but to launch a resource-intensive, multi-agency offensive to eliminate terrorist networks and restore order.
A shift from surface-level reforms to deep, strategic consolidation of policies that address both the root causes and consequences of insecurity.
The forum also highlighted broader challenges plaguing the North, including the rise in out-of-school children, worsening food insecurity, and economic hardship.
“The Nigerian people are suffering. The economic squeeze, insecurity, and social anxiety have gone far beyond rhetoric. There’s a growing disconnect between the reality on the ground and the assurances coming from Abuja,” Alancha stated.
He urged President Tinubu to act swiftly and decisively before the situation deteriorates further, warning that the North—and the nation—can no longer afford leadership inaction.
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