by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
As Northern Nigeria’s insecurity situation grows worse, urgent calls for a “state of emergency” has been advanced, with leaders demanding for the sack of Service Chiefs, a cabinet reshuffle, and ensure tougher action against Boko Haram massacres, bandit raids, and mass abductions, plunging citizens into fear and mourning.
The calls followed Friday night’s Boko Haram assault on the Darajamal community, in Bama Local Council, which left 58 civilians and five soldiers dead.
Rising from an Emergency Meeting at the weekend, a body known as, the ‘Northern Ethnic Nationality Forum’ (NENF), urged President Bola Tinubu to declare a state-of-emergency in the region, sack the Service Chiefs, and appoint “new, fresh, and innovative military leaders” with a clear mandate and timeline for measurable results.
NENF, a coalition of leaders from the diverse ethnic nationalities of northern Nigeria dedicated to promoting unity and advocating for good governance, described the security situation as a “full-blown catastrophe.”
In a statement, Convener, Dr Dominic Alancha, described the security situation as a “full-blown catastrophe,” with communities ravaged by bandits, terrorists, and other criminal elements.
He noted that kidnappings for ransom had become a thriving industry; farmers could no longer access their fields, and major highways had turned into “death traps.”
The group said the Service Chiefs had failed to conceive or execute effective strategies, despite huge budgetary allocations. “Their tenure has been marked by an alarming increase in audacious attacks and a palpable sense of despair among our people.
“The security architecture has proven to be ineffective; and we are, therefore, requesting for a fundamental overhaul of the entire nation’s Security Chiefs,” it stated.
NENF stressed that its call was not for militarisation but for a “targeted, multi-agency, and resource-intensive emergency operation to flush out terrorists, dismantle their networks, and restore permanent order.”
While applauding President Tinubu for his political and economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and efforts to harmonise foreign exchange rates, the group observed that implementation had caused widespread hardship.
It, therefore, urged the President to consolidate the reforms with an immediate cabinet reshuffle so as to inject “competence and political capital.”
According to NENF, many ministers had failed to deliver tangible results, connect with the grassroots, or build the political goodwill needed to solidify the administration’s standing.
“As we look ahead to the 2027 electoral mandate, it is evident that the current composition of the cabinet lacks the strategic competence and political force needed to secure victory for Mr President and sustain the nation’s overall national development plans,” it said.
The group added: “We, therefore, call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately initiate a comprehensive dissolution and reshuffle of the Federal Executive Council.
“We urge the President to replace underperforming ministers with individuals of proven integrity, exceptional capability, and significant political influence in their respective states and regions. Nigeria needs a cabinet of doers, thinkers, and political strategists, not a cabinet of spectators,” it stated.
Declaring that its demands were driven by patriotism rather than malice, NENF warned that the survival and prosperity of Nigeria, especially the North, hangs in the balance.
“We supported the President’s ambition, and we desire to support him again in 2027, but that support is contingent on effective, empathetic, and decisive governance. The time for action is now,” the statement added.
Similarly, Wake Village, in Kachia Local Council of Kaduna State, was thrown into mourning yesterday after armed bandits launched a brutal early morning raid that left eight people dead and at least 20 others severely injured.
The attackers, who stormed the community in Southern Kaduna in large numbers, also abducted an unspecified number of residents, whisking them away to an unknown destination.
The Kaduna Police Command said it had mobilised officers to investigate the attack. Police spokesman, DSP Mansir Hassan, could not be reached for comment at the time of press. However, a senior officer at the State Command, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident.
“We have already launched investigation into the unfortunate incident in Kachia and we will keep journalists informed,” the source said. “Please, for now we are investigating the attack by the bandits, and security forces will ensure that peace and order prevails in the area, as investigation into the unfortunate incident is on.”
As ofatthe time of filing this report, the community was conducting burials for the deceased, while efforts were being made to care for the injured. The number of those abducted could not be confirmed.