“Declare a National Security Emergency” – Northern Elders Urge Tinubu

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently declare a national security emergency, warning that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity is pushing the country toward chaos.

The call was contained in a statement signed by NEF spokesperson, Abubakar Jiddere, who described the situation as alarming and said immediate and decisive action is needed to prevent further deterioration.

The forum said Nigerians are now living in fear as criminal groups continue to operate across the country with increasing boldness. It warned that when citizens no longer feel safe, communities become vulnerable and government authority is weakened.

NEF stressed that insecurity has become one of Nigeria’s biggest national problems, affecting nearly all regions of the country. It listed several areas including Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Borno, Oyo, Edo, Enugu, and Imo, where attacks, kidnappings, and violence have become frequent.

According to the group, farmers are abandoning their lands, food production is falling, rural economies are collapsing, and many families are being pushed into poverty due to ransom payments and displacement. It also noted that children are missing out on education while businesses and investors are losing confidence.

The NEF expressed concern over what it described as the “normalization” of kidnapping for ransom, saying it has now become a criminal industry supported by weak enforcement, poor intelligence coordination, porous borders, and illegal arms circulation.

The elders further criticized what they called the limited response in some communities, including delayed security intervention during attacks and poor prosecution of offenders.

They also called for urgent investigations into illegal mining and other resource-related activities, which they believe may be linked to insecurity in some parts of the country.

Quoting the Nigerian Constitution, the forum reminded the government that the protection of lives and property remains its primary responsibility.

NEF concluded by urging the Federal Government to immediately declare a national security emergency and adopt extraordinary measures to address the growing threat and restore public confidence in the country’s security system.