The Northern Elders Forum has called on the Federal Government to immediately declare a national security emergency, warning that worsening violence, kidnappings and bandit attacks across the country pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s stability and economic survival.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the forum, Abubakar Jiddere, said the country was experiencing an unprecedented security crisis, with criminal activities spreading across several regions and leaving millions of Nigerians vulnerable.
The forum expressed concern over what it described as the government’s inability to adequately protect lives and property, noting that communities in states such as Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Borno, Oyo, Edo, Enugu and Imo continued to face attacks from bandits, kidnappers and other armed groups.
According to the statement, the growing prevalence of kidnapping-for-ransom had transformed into a sophisticated criminal enterprise fuelled by weak law enforcement, porous borders, illegal arms proliferation and inadequate intelligence coordination.
The group said the consequences of the security challenges were evident in declining agricultural production, displacement of farming communities, collapsing rural economies, disruption of education and increasing poverty among affected families.
“The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government,” the forum said, citing Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution, while questioning why many citizens were increasingly left to defend themselves against criminal elements.
The forum also raised concerns over reports of inadequate security presence in vulnerable communities, delayed responses to attacks and limited prosecution of suspected perpetrators of violent crimes.
It further urged the Federal Government to investigate illegal mining activities and other forms of resource exploitation that have been linked to insecurity in some parts of the country, arguing that criminal networks often thrive where governance and oversight are weak.
As part of its recommendations, the forum called for stronger intelligence-sharing among security agencies, intensified operations against kidnapping and banditry networks, prosecution of sponsors and financiers of violent groups, comprehensive audits of illegal mining activities, enhanced protection for farming communities and schools, and greater accountability in the management of security funds.
Describing the situation as a national rather than regional concern, the forum warned that continued insecurity could further erode public confidence in government institutions.
“The time for assurances has passed. The time for measurable action is now,” the statement added.
Nigeria has faced persistent security challenges for more than a decade in the North-East, with North-West and North-Central regions also experiencing banditry, mass kidnappings and communal violence, which displaced thousands of residents and disrupted economic activities.
In recent times, bandits have made incursions into the South-West, with attacks reported in Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo and Ogun states.
In recent years, concerns have grown over attacks on farming communities, increasing ransom kidnappings along major highways and the impact of insecurity on food production and investment. Various stakeholders, including traditional rulers, civil society groups and regional organisations, have repeatedly called for stronger security measures and improved coordination among security agencies to address the crisis.
