The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) on Monday expressed profound concern that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s speech on the #EndBadGovernance protest on Sunday did not mention the severe security situation plaguing the North-West and other parts of the northern region. The NEF’s Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, stated this in a statement on
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) on Monday expressed profound concern that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s speech on the #EndBadGovernance protest on Sunday did not mention the severe security situation plaguing the North-West and other parts of the northern region.
The NEF’s Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, stated this in a statement on Monday. According to him, armed banditry is causing severe humanitarian crises in the regions that the president’s speech should have noted to demonstrate his political will to address the problem.
He said: “The NEF draws attention to the escalating issues of banditry, kidnapping, rape, and various other criminal activities devastating these areas, which have subjected the population to pervasive fear and insecurity.
“The NEF points out that the policing of communities in northern Nigeria has become a critical challenge. Criminal elements continue to wreak havoc, causing immense suffering for the residents of these regions. As a result, many communities have been forced to abandon their farmlands, schools have been shut down, and livelihoods destroyed, he stressed.
According to him, the Forum is gravely concerned that:” the President’s recent speech failed to address these urgent issues or provide reassurance to the communities living in constant fear and uncertainty. Despite choosing not to comment on the ongoing protests in the country—remaining committed to peace and national stability—the Forum had hoped for the President’s acknowledgment of the North-West’s struggles and other affected regions.
The scale of the crisis according to him, is immense, with millions of citizens displaced internally, and hundreds of thousands of orphans facing hunger and malnourishment.
“These are new and alarming realities that were previously unknown in our land. It is essential that the magnitude of this challenge is not underestimated. Dealing with this humanitarian disaster in the north will require a level of political will and administrative competence that goes beyond what is needed to defeat criminal gangs.
He said the simultaneous challenges of combating insurgency and banditry, rehabilitating IDPs, and rebuilding lives, communities, and infrastructure must all be top priorities for the government stressing that: “We expected the President to acknowledge the gravity of the situation and outline concrete plans for addressing these critical issues”.
He said the focus should have been on finding sustainable solutions to the crisis, prioritizing the needs of the affected communities, and ensuring that necessary resources are allocated to support them.
He said:” It is vital that the government demonstrates a strong commitment to addressing this humanitarian disaster and shows that it has the capability to lead the nation through this challenging time”.
According to him, “The President’s speech should have reflected a sense of urgency and a clear understanding of the complexities of the situation. It is crucial that the government takes decisive actions to address the humanitarian disaster caused by criminal activities in our nation. The President’s speech should have articulated a comprehensive strategy for tackling the crisis and provided reassurance to the Nigerian people that their needs would be met.
Alhaji Suleiman said the challenges ahead are significant, but with the right political will and leadership, the government can overcome them and rebuild a better future for all adding that in times of crisis, it is crucial for the government to exhibit leadership and provide reassurance to its citizens whose lives and livelihoods are threatened by insecurity and instability.
The NEF called on President Tinubu to prioritize the security and safety of the people in the northern region and to take decisive action to address the root causes of the escalating violence and criminal activities.
The Forum emphasizes the necessity for the government to engage with affected communities, listen to their concerns, and work collaboratively towards finding lasting, effective solutions to the security challenges threatening lives and livelihoods in the North-West and beyond.
He said only through proactive and decisive measures can the government assure these endangered communities and restore their confidence in the state’s capacity to protect them from the pervasive criminal elements.
