*** Demands national security emergency

*** NEF demands probe into illegal mining linked to insecurity

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF), on Wednesday, faulted the administration of President Bola Tinubu over the worsening insecurity across the country, declaring that Nigeria is “bleeding” under the weight of escalating violence, kidnappings and banditry.

The Forum called on the Federal Government to immediately declare a National Security Emergency and implement extraordinary measures to reverse the current security situation.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Professor Abubakar Jika Jiddere, NEF said the alarming deterioration of security across the country has reached a level that warrants urgent and decisive action.

Jiddere accused authorities of failing in their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property, warning that public confidence in government is rapidly eroding as violence spreads across the nation.

The Forum cited Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution, which states that the security and welfare of citizens shall be the primary purpose of government, arguing that the persistent attacks on communities, mass abductions and killings across the country raise serious concerns about the effectiveness of current security measures.

The forum said that millions of Nigerians remain exposed to kidnappers, terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements.

Jiddere said: “Today, Nigerians are compelled to ask a painful but legitimate question: if the protection of lives and property is the foremost duty of the government, why are citizens increasingly left to fend for themselves against kidnappers, terrorists, bandits, violent extremists, and organized criminal gangs?

“Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has confronted numerous security threats, including the Civil War, Maitatsine uprisings, armed militancy in the Niger Delta, sectarian violence, separatist agitations, cattle rustling, armed robbery, and the Boko Haram insurgency.

“Yet never in recent history has the country witnessed the simultaneous spread of multiple forms of insecurity across virtually every region as is being experienced today. From the forests of Zamfara and Katsina to the highways of Kaduna and Niger; from communities in Plateau and Benue to parts of Kogi, Kwara, Borno, Oyo, Edo, Enugu, Imo and beyond, violence has become a recurring feature of daily life.

“Communities are attacked, citizens are abducted, farmers are displaced from their lands, travellers are ambushed on major highways, and businesses are forced to operate under conditions of uncertainty and fear.

“Independent security reports over the years have consistently documented thousands of deaths, abductions, and displacements arising from violent criminal activities. While governments may differ in their approaches and achievements, the reality confronting Nigerians today is that insecurity remains one of the gravest threats to national stability, economic growth, and social cohesion.

“The Forum is particularly disturbed by the growing normalization of mass abductions and kidnapping-for-ransom. What began as isolated criminal incidents has evolved into a sophisticated criminal economy that exploits weak enforcement, porous borders, illegal arms proliferation, and inadequate intelligence coordination.

“In many affected communities, criminal groups appear capable of operating for extended periods with little resistance, undermining public confidence in the capacity of the state to guarantee security.

“Farmers are abandoning farmlands.
Food production is declining.
Rural economies are collapsing.
Investors are losing confidence.
Children are deprived of education.
Families are being pushed into poverty by ransom payments and displacement.
Entire communities now live under the constant threat of attack. No serious nation can accept such a situation as normal.”

The Forum further criticized what it described as inadequate security presence in many troubled communities, delayed responses to attacks and the failure to prosecute perpetrators of major crimes.

He called for comprehensive investigations into illegal mining activities and other forms of resource exploitation allegedly linked to insecurity in parts of the country, insisting that criminal networks thrive where governance and oversight are weak.

Jiddere added, “We demands for the immediate restructuring and strengthening of intelligence coordination among all security agencies. Aggressive disruption of kidnapping and banditry networks through sustained operations and modern surveillance capabilities.

“Full investigation and prosecution of sponsors, collaborators, financiers, and beneficiaries of violent criminal groups, regardless of status, ethnicity, religion, or political affiliation. Comprehensive auditing of illegal mining operations and criminal economic activities linked to insecurity. Enhanced protection of farming communities, schools, transportation corridors, and vulnerable rural populations.

“Greater transparency and accountability regarding security expenditures and operational outcomes. The patience of citizens is not unlimited. Governments derive legitimacy from their ability to protect lives, uphold the rule of law, and maintain public order. Where insecurity persists unchecked, public trust inevitably erodes.

“This is not a partisan issue; This is not a regional issue; This is not an ethnic issue. This is a national emergency; Nigeria cannot prosper while its citizens live under fear. The blood of innocent Nigerians should trouble the conscience of every public office holder entrusted with the responsibility of governance.

“History will not judge leaders by the promises they made. It will judge them by the lives they protected, the communities they secured, and the nation they preserved. The time for assurances has passed. The time for measurable action is now.”