The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Northern Nigeria due to escalating violence, abductions, and killings that threaten lives, socio-economic development, and national stability.
The forum emphasized the urgent need for decisive action to address the region’s worsening security crisis.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by NEF spokesperson Professor Abubakar Jika Jiddere, the forum highlighted the inadequacy of Nigeria’s security framework, describing it as overstretched and, in some instances, complicit through inaction.
This has left citizens vulnerable, eroded public trust in government institutions, and fueled a cycle of violence and displacement.
The NEF pointed to recent tragic incidents, including the August 19 attack on a mosque in Unguwan Mantau village, where at least 27 worshippers were killed during morning prayers, with several others injured and hundreds displaced.
The forum also condemned the execution of 35 abductees in Zamfara State despite ransom payments and two separate attacks in Kaduna State’s Kauru and Kudan Local Government Areas, which left eight dead and eight others severely injured.
“These incidents reflect a persistent pattern of organized criminal violence and banditry that has claimed thousands of lives, displaced countless citizens, disrupted food security, and inflicted deep psychological trauma on communities,” Jiddere said.
Citing Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution and international obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees the right to life, the NEF warned that the ongoing atrocities could constitute crimes against humanity due to their scale and persistence.
NEF’s Demands and Recommendations
The forum outlined several critical steps for the federal government to address the crisis:
- Declare a State of Emergency in Northern Nigeria to acknowledge the severity of the situation.
- Deploy Trained Security Forces with clear rules of engagement to protect civilians and secure border regions.
- Provide Compensation and Humanitarian Aid to victims, including displaced persons, in line with international standards.
- Strengthen Border Control and enhance regional cooperation with neighboring countries under ECOWAS and African Union protocols to curb cross-border criminal activities.
- Engage International Partners, such as the African Union and United Nations, for technical and humanitarian support.
The NEF cautioned that failure to act decisively risks pushing communities toward self-help measures and anarchy, threatening Nigeria’s national cohesion, democratic stability, and regional peace.
The forum urged the Tinubu administration to act swiftly and transparently to fulfill its constitutional and international obligations.
The NEF pledged to continue monitoring the situation and engaging with national and international stakeholders to ensure urgent relief and support for affected communities in Northern Nigeria.
