The Arewa Consultative Forum has declared that Nigeria’s worsening security situation has reached a “state of war,” calling on the Federal Government to immediately adopt extraordinary and emergency measures to address the crisis.
This position was contained in a communiqué issued after the 38th meeting of the Forum’s Board of Trustees held in Abuja, bringing together prominent northern leaders including former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Mahmud Ahmed, ex Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar, former Chief of Army Staff Tukur Buratai, and former UN General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad Bande.
The Forum stated that insecurity in the country has gone beyond insurgency, banditry, and communal clashes, describing it as a full scale national emergency threatening Nigeria’s ility and survival.
According to the ACF, the scale, persistence, and human cost of violence across several states including Borno, Plateau, Niger, and Kwara have reached alarming levels, with both civilians and members of the armed forces among the casualties.
It noted that the humanitarian consequences include mass displacement, destroyed livelihoods, and psychological trauma in affected communities, while also stressing that the economy continues to suffer severe setbacks.
The Forum further warned that insecurity is severely impacting agricultural production, especially in northern Nigeria, disrupting supply chains and contributing to rising inflation and food shortages.
It argued that redirecting national resources toward security should not be seen as a setback for development, but rather a necessary foundation for economic recovery and national progress.
The ACF urged the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu to adopt a wartime approach in tackling insecurity, including temporarily scaling down non essential projects to allow for greater investment in security operations and intelligence.
The group emphasised that while infrastructure and development projects remain important, restoring peace and safety must take priority if Nigeria is to achieve sustainable growth.
It warned that the country stands at a critical crossroads, noting that continued insecurity threatens not only lives but also the long term ility and future of the nation.
The Forum concluded that meaningful national progress will remain impossible until Nigerians can live, work, and travel without fear, urging decisive and coordinated action at all levels of government.
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