The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has raised fresh concerns over what it described as a deepening crisis of insecurity, poverty and humanitarian distress across Northern Nigeria, warning that rising attacks and worsening living conditions are displacing communities and crippling livelihoods.
Speaking at the Forum’s 79th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held Wednesday at the ACF Secretariat in Kaduna, Chairman Mamman Mike Osuman, SAN, said terrorism, armed banditry, insurgency and kidnapping had intensified in several parts of the region, including Kwara, Southern Kaduna, Katsina and Benue states.
He noted that repeated attacks have forced families from their homes, resulting in overcrowded camps and informal settlements with limited access to food, healthcare and other essential services. According to him, the situation has heightened the risks of malnutrition and mortality, particularly among vulnerable groups.
Osuman added that insecurity has disrupted education through prolonged school closures, weakened rural economies and restricted access to farming, healthcare and transportation. He observed that the security situation has become so severe that external military assistance has been required in some instances.
“Our existence as a socio-cultural organisation must not be merely ceremonial or rhetorical; it must be principled, sincere, sacrificial and action-driven,” he said, urging ACF state chapters to work closely with governments at all levels to promote peace, stability and the rehabilitation of affected communities.
The ACF chairman also cautioned against early political maneuvering ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that emerging groups appear more focused on electoral calculations than on urgent challenges such as hunger, out-of-school children and persistent attacks.
While acknowledging support from some public office holders, Osuman said many leaders remain disconnected from the Forum’s objectives and programmes. He called on members to prioritise the welfare of the downtrodden in their deliberations.
On internal reforms, he disclosed that the National Working Committee had approved the establishment of additional committees, including a nine-member Code of Conduct and Ethics Committee to strengthen institutional governance. The committee will be chaired by Professor Nuhu Mohammed Jamo, a former Dean of the Faculty of Law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a legal consultant to the National Assembly on constitutional review.
As the country prepares for another election cycle, Osuman urged members to adhere strictly to the ACF Constitution, avoid sensationalism and support efforts toward peaceful and credible polls. He stressed that discussions on the state of the nation must be fact-based and solution-oriented to drive recovery and progress in the region.
