Declare State of Emergency in North to Save Lives, Northern Elders Urge Tinubu

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency across northern Nigeria in response to escalating insecurity that has devastated lives and crippled socio-economic development in the region.

In a communiqué signed by its spokesperson, Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, on Wednesday, the forum expressed grave concern over the rise in violent attacks, abductions, and killings. NEF warned that failure to act urgently could push communities into “self-help situations and anarchy,” posing a serious threat to Nigeria’s stability and regional peace.

The forum cautioned that if the federal government fails to act decisively, it risks jeopardising national cohesion, democratic stability, and the survival of the polity. NEF urged the Tinubu-led administration to immediately declare a state of emergency in line with the constitution and Nigeria’s international obligations to protect lives and property.

Recalling recent tragedies, Jiddere cited the August 19 attack on a mosque in Unguwan Mantau Village, where 27 worshippers were killed and several others injured during morning prayers, displacing hundreds. He also referenced the execution of 35 abductees in Zamfara despite ransom payments, as well as two separate attacks in Kaduna’s Kauru and Kudan LGAs that left eight people dead and eight more wounded.

Jiddere outlined the group’s demands:

“Declaring a State of Emergency in Northern Nigeria, acknowledging the extraordinary scale of the crisis.
Deploying adequately trained, armed, and equipped security forces with clear rules of engagement to protect civilian populations and secure international border regions.
Providing adequate compensation, rehabilitation, and humanitarian assistance to victims including displaced persons, in line with international humanitarian standards.
Strengthening border control and regional cooperation with neighbouring states under ECOWAS and AU protocols, to stem cross-border incursions by armed criminal groups.
Engaging international partners, including the African Union and United Nations, for technical and humanitarian support.”

He further lamented the weakness of Nigeria’s security architecture:

“The NEF observes with deep regret that the state security architecture remains inadequate, overstretched, and in some cases complicit through inaction and silence, leaving citizens vulnerable and helpless while eroding public trust in government institutions.”

Citing Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees the inherent right to life, Jiddere warned that recurring atrocities in northern Nigeria amount to “serious breaches of these obligations” and, given their scale and persistence, could qualify as crimes against humanity under international law.

The forum pledged to continue monitoring developments while engaging stakeholders nationally and internationally to secure urgent relief for affected communities.