A coalition of ethnic leaders from the 19 northern states has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently restructure his government, overhaul the security architecture, and embark on stronger reforms to address the worsening insecurity in the region.
Speaking in Abuja on Sunday after a strategic meeting, the convener, Dr. Dominic Alancha, alongside other prominent figures including Prof. David Manga, Salisu Ibrahim Namadi, Suleiman Yunusa Bawa, Zugwai Bodam, Julius Adamu, Ungbo Danjuma, Abubakar Mohammed Zurmi, and Aliyasu Bello, stressed that the North is at a breaking point.
The forum highlighted the numerous crises plaguing the region: Boko Haram insurgency and continued killings in the North East, rampant banditry in the North West and North Central, the rising number of out-of-school children, widespread hunger, and deepening poverty.
They condemned the current service chiefs for failing to design and implement effective counter-insurgency and anti-banditry strategies despite the huge budgetary allocations to the security sector. According to the leaders, fresh and competent military commanders are urgently needed to restore hope and stability.
“Our call today is born out of patriotism, not malice; out of a desire for success, not failure. We supported the President’s ambition and we desire to support him again in 2027, but that support is contingent on effective, empathetic, and decisive governance,” Alancha said.
The leaders demanded:
- Immediate dismissal and replacement of service chiefs with fresh, innovative, and pragmatic military leaders who would be given a clear mandate and measurable targets.
- Declaration of a state of emergency on security across the North, to coordinate a multi-agency operation aimed at flushing out terrorists, dismantling criminal networks, and restoring law and order.
They warned that the patience of the people is running thin, noting that insecurity, food shortages, and economic hardship have created a sense of abandonment among citizens.
“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 time for action is now. The survival and prosperity of our nation, particularly the beleaguered North, hangs in the balance,” the forum declared.
The northern leaders emphasized that decisive steps by the President would not only restore public confidence but also determine the region’s continued political support ahead of the 2027 elections.
