 has issued a stern demand to President Tinubu, urging him to immediately declare a state of emergency){kind=link}
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has issued a stern demand to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to immediately declare a state of emergency in Northern Nigeria following escalating insecurity and terrorist attacks that have plunged the region into chaos.
In a strongly worded statement released by its spokesperson, Professor Abubakar Jiddere, the forum decried the recent killing of over 20 Nigerian soldiers in Bangi, Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
The soldiers were ambushed and slaughtered in what NEF described as a coordinated and brutal attack by a heavily armed terrorist gang, which completely overwhelmed the military base. NEF said the incident was more than an isolated tragedy — it was “a declaration of war against the Nigerian state.”
“This is not just an attack; it is a declaration of war against the Nigerian state, and the state is losing,” Jiddere stated.
The NEF noted that the nature, frequency, and impunity of these attacks reflect a complete breakdown of security in the region. According to the Forum, Northern Nigeria is no longer facing ordinary security challenges, but rather “an unrelenting campaign of terror, mass murder, and state failure.”
Communities, they said, are being wiped out, homes razed, and lives destroyed while terrorists roam unchecked.
“The North is drowning in blood. Its people are abandoned. Security forces are either overwhelmed or completely absent. We will no longer accept hollow condolences, tired speeches, or empty press statements,” Jiddere declared.
The Forum did not mince words in blaming the government for failing in its constitutional duty to protect citizens. It called on President Tinubu to urgently initiate decisive joint military and intelligence operations aimed at locating and eliminating all armed groups and terrorist elements “no matter where they operate or who shields them.”
NEF emphasized that the North’s patience has been exhausted and warned of open resistance if the federal government continues to show inaction.
“The blood of Northern Nigerians is not cheap. Our soldiers are not cannon fodder. Our citizens will not continue to die silently while a complacent government watches from a distance,” the statement read.
The Forum insisted that the legitimacy of any government that cannot or will not protect its people is forfeited. It warned that the continued neglect of Northern communities could ignite unrest and resistance against the state.
“Enough is enough. We will not be silent. The North will not kneel before terror,” Jiddere warned.
NEF concluded by demanding not only the declaration of a security emergency but also a demonstrable and accountable response, including widespread military action, intelligence collaboration, and the political will to eliminate terrorist networks and restore peace.
The Northern Elders Forum has sent a loud and clear message to the presidency: Northern Nigeria is under siege, and without urgent action, the consequences could be dire.