The Northern Ethnic National Forum has called on President Bola Tinubu to sack Nigeria’s service chiefs and declare a state of emergency over worsening insecurity in the North
The Northern Ethnic National Forum (NENF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on security and immediately remove all service chiefs, citing growing insecurity and what it described as “leadership failure” in dealing with violence across northern Nigeria.
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In a strongly worded statement on Sunday, NENF Convener Dominic Alancha said the escalating attacks by bandits, terrorists, and criminal gangs have pushed communities to the brink of collapse.
“The security situation in northern Nigeria has degenerated into a full-blown catastrophe. Daily, our communities are ravaged by bandits, terrorists, and criminal elements who operate with impunity.
This is unacceptable,” the statement read.
The group criticized the current military leadership, accusing the service chiefs of underperformance despite billions in security funding.
“We angrily and unequivocally demand the immediate dismissal and replacement of all Service Chiefs,” NENF said.
“The President must appoint fresh and innovative military leaders with a clear mandate and timeline for results.”
They also demanded a cabinet reshuffle, citing non-performing ministers and the inability of some to translate the “Renewed Hope” agenda into practical gains.
While applauding President Tinubu’s economic policies — particularly the fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms— the forum warned that the hardship caused by poor implementation was inflaming unrest.
NENF called for urgent delivery of palliatives, along with strategic investments in agriculture, energy, and transport, to relieve the burden on ordinary Nigerians.
Meanwhile, the North-West chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) also raised concerns about rising insecurity during a meeting held in Kaduna.
Convener Saleh Kuba said youths across the region support the dual strategy of kinetic (military) and non-kinetic (dialogue) measures being deployed by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
“You must understand the underlying issues causing insecurity so you can come up with long-term solutions. We support sustained, honest dialogue across the geopolitical zones,” Kuba said.
He emphasized the need for greater synergy between federal and state governments, adding that state governors should be fully recognized as chief security officers in their domains.
At the same Kaduna meeting, the North-West NYCN leaders unanimously adopted Comrade Ahmad Rufai Khalifa, grandson of the late Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa, as their consensus candidate for the upcoming NYCN national elections in October.
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“We believe he has the capacity, experience, and character to lead Nigerian youths at this critical moment in our nation’s history,” Kuba stated.
