Northern Elders Forum Criticises President Tinubu’s Address for Overlooking Security Crisis in the North

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has expressed significant concern regarding President Bola Tinubu’s recent national address, particularly for its failure to address the severe security issues plaguing the North-West and other northern regions of Nigeria.

In a statement released on Monday, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, the NEF’s Director of Publicity and Advocacy, voiced disappointment over the President’s omission of the escalating security crisis.

The NEF highlighted the persistent issues of banditry, kidnapping, and rape that have led to widespread fear and insecurity across the northern states.

These criminal activities have severely impacted local communities, resulting in abandoned farmlands, shuttered schools, and devastated livelihoods.

The NEF’s statement underscored the deep frustration felt by the Forum, which had hoped that President Tinubu’s speech would provide much-needed reassurance and concrete plans to address these pressing security challenges.

Instead, the address reportedly neglected to mention the severe humanitarian crisis resulting from these security issues.

The Forum lamented that while it chose to remain silent on the ongoing hunger protests in the country to support peace and national stability, it expected the President to acknowledge and address the North-West’s dire situation.

The NEF anticipated a speech that would not only offer encouragement but also detail actionable steps to mitigate the ongoing security threats and humanitarian crisis.

“The anticipated words of encouragement and assurances of concrete steps to alleviate the security challenges faced by our communities were notably absent,” the NEF stated.

“We had hoped that the President would address the dire humanitarian disaster that criminal activities have imposed upon our nation.”

According to the NEF, the crisis in the North is severe, with millions displaced internally and hundreds of thousands of orphans suffering from hunger and malnutrition.

The Forum described these as unprecedented and alarming challenges that have recently emerged, underscoring the urgent need for a robust response.

The NEF emphasised that the scale of the challenge requires more than just a tactical approach to defeating criminal gangs.

It demands a high level of political will and administrative competence to address the humanitarian disaster effectively.

The group stressed that the government must prioritise the simultaneous tasks of combating insurgency and banditry, rehabilitating internally displaced persons (IDPs), and rebuilding affected communities and infrastructure.

“We expected the President to recognise the gravity of the situation and outline a concrete plan for addressing these critical issues,” the statement added.

“Our focus should be on finding sustainable solutions to the crisis, prioritising the needs of the affected communities, and ensuring that necessary resources are allocated effectively.”

The NEF concluded that it is essential for the government to demonstrate a strong commitment to tackling the humanitarian disaster and prove its capability to lead the nation through these challenging times.

The Forum’s response reflects a growing demand for comprehensive and effective measures to address the security and humanitarian crises affecting northern Nigeria.