…Demands overhaul of military leadership, emergency security measures
A coalition of leaders from diverse Northern ethnic nationalities has warned President Bola Tinubu that the escalating insecurity across the region is “unacceptable” and called for urgent, decisive action to restore order.
In a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting in Abuja on Sunday, the leaders demanded a comprehensive restructuring of security agencies, targeted emergency operations, and a sustained phase of reforms to consolidate earlier interventions.
Convener of the Northern Ethnic National Forum, Dr Dominic Alancha, described the security situation as dire.
“Communities in the North are ravaged by bandits, terrorists, and criminal elements who operate with impunity. Kidnappings for ransom have become a thriving industry in the region,” he said.
He added that farmers are unable to access their fields due to persistent attacks, while major highways have degenerated into dangerous routes where travellers live in fear of ambush.
Dr Alancha criticised the performance of the current security leadership, accusing them of failing to provide effective solutions despite substantial government expenditure.
“This is unacceptable. The Service Chiefs have, despite the enormous resources allocated from taxpayers’ money, failed to conceive and execute strategies capable of abating this menace.
“Their tenure has been marked by an alarming increase in audacious attacks and a palpable sense of despair among our people. The security architecture has proven ineffective, and we are therefore demanding a fundamental overhaul of the nation’s security chiefs,” he declared.
The forum called for “the immediate dismissal and replacement of all Service Chiefs,” urging the President to appoint new, innovative military leaders with clearly defined mandates and strict timelines for delivering measurable results.
On emergency measures, the communiqué stated: “The immediate declaration of a state of emergency on security in the entire Northern region. This is not a call for militarisation but for a targeted, multi-agency, resource-intensive emergency operation to flush out terrorists, dismantle their networks, and restore permanent order.
“Such action will demonstrate the seriousness required to address this existential threat. We strongly call on the President to move beyond the initial reforms and embark on a phase of deep consolidation.”
The leaders also cautioned that public patience is wearing thin. “The economic squeeze, the insecurity, and the social anxiety have gone far beyond rhetoric. The people feel a profound disconnect between their daily realities and the assurances from your Abuja office,” the communiqué said.
Their intervention follows renewed Boko Haram assaults in the North East, relentless banditry in the North West and North Central, and deepening socio-economic strains, all of which point to a growing demand for federal authorities to restore security and rebuild confidence across the country.