The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately declare a national security emergency, citing the worsening wave of insecurity across the country.
The forum warned that Nigeria is facing an unprecedented security crisis and urged the Federal Government to adopt extraordinary measures to combat the growing threats posed by bandits, kidnappers, terrorists and other criminal elements.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its spokesperson, Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, the group expressed deep concern over what it described as the persistent deterioration of security nationwide.
“The Northern Elders Forum expresses its deepest outrage and concern over the relentless collapse of security across the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement read.
According to the forum, millions of Nigerians are living in fear as criminal groups continue to launch attacks on communities, abduct citizens and operate with increasing confidence.
“No nation can claim progress when its citizens live in fear, its communities are under siege, and criminal elements operate with increasing boldness while millions of law-abiding citizens remain vulnerable,” the group stated.
The NEF referenced Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution, which places the security and welfare of citizens as the primary responsibility of government, noting that many Nigerians are increasingly questioning the state’s ability to safeguard lives and property.
While acknowledging that Nigeria has experienced major security challenges in the past, including the Civil War, the Maitatsine uprisings, Niger Delta militancy and the Boko Haram insurgency, the forum argued that the current situation is unique because of the widespread nature of the threats.
“From the forests of Zamfara and Katsina to the highways of Kaduna and Niger; from communities in Plateau and Benue to parts of Kogi, Kwara, Borno, Oyo, Edo, Enugu, Imo and beyond, violence has become a recurring feature of daily life,” the statement noted.
The elders lamented that communities are routinely attacked, farmers displaced from their lands, travellers ambushed on major highways and businesses forced to operate under conditions of uncertainty.
The forum also raised concerns over the rise of kidnapping-for-ransom, describing it as a sophisticated criminal enterprise sustained by weak law enforcement, porous borders, illegal arms proliferation and inadequate intelligence coordination.
“In many affected communities, criminal groups appear capable of operating for extended periods with little resistance, undermining public confidence in the capacity of the state to guarantee security,” the statement added.
According to the NEF, the security crisis is having devastating consequences on agriculture, education, investment and rural economies, while many families are being driven deeper into poverty through ransom payments and displacement.
The group criticised what it called insufficient security presence in vulnerable communities and delayed responses to attacks. It also called for investigations into illegal mining and other economic activities allegedly linked to insecurity in some parts of the country.
As part of its recommendations, the forum urged the Federal Government to declare a national security emergency, strengthen intelligence-sharing among security agencies, deploy modern surveillance technology and dismantle criminal networks responsible for kidnapping and banditry.
The elders further demanded the prosecution of sponsors and financiers of violent groups, regardless of their social or political status, while calling for increased protection of farming communities, schools, highways and rural settlements.
Describing the situation as a national crisis that transcends politics and ethnicity, the forum warned that continued insecurity could further erode public trust in government.
“This is not a partisan issue. This is not a regional issue. This is not an ethnic issue. This is a national emergency,” the statement said.
“Nigeria cannot prosper while its citizens live under fear. The blood of innocent Nigerians should trouble the conscience of every public office holder entrusted with the responsibility of governance.”
The forum stressed that Nigerians are now demanding concrete results rather than assurances from those in leadership.
“The time for assurances has passed. The time for measurable action is now,” it stated.
The NEF added that history would ultimately judge leaders by their ability to protect citizens and secure the nation rather than by promises made while in office.
