The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has declared that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity has reached what it described as a “state of war,” urging the federal government to adopt urgent measures to address the crisis.
The warning comes amid fresh attacks, including the killing of six soldiers and a woman in a Boko Haram assault on Mussa community in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
It also follows calls by a United States lawmaker, Kimberly Daniels, and a coalition of international diplomats urging President Bola Tinubu to review the country’s defence leadership after attacks on Christian communities during the 2026 Easter period.
The ACF position was contained in a communiqué issued after its 38th board meeting in Abuja, presided over by its chairman, Bashir Dalhatu.
The meeting was attended by prominent northern leaders, including Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, Mohammed D. Abubakar, Tukur Yusufu Buratai and Tijjani Muhammad-Bande.
The forum said: “The scale, persistence and human cost of violence demand a fundamental shift in national priorities.”
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It added that the situation must now be treated as a national emergency.
ACF said insecurity had gone beyond insurgency, banditry and communal clashes, warning that it now threatens the country’s survival.
It noted that thousands of Nigerians have been killed or displaced across states, including Borno, Plateau, Niger and Kwara, with members of the armed forces also affected.
The forum said the humanitarian impact has left communities traumatised and livelihoods destroyed, while the economy continues to suffer.
It warned that insecurity is disrupting agricultural activities and worsening inflation.
ACF said: “Redirecting national resources toward security is not a diversion from economic development; it is a prerequisite for it.”
The group called for a “war-time approach,” including scaling down non-essential projects to focus resources on security.
It said: “Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads.
“The escalating security crisis threatens not just lives, but the very stability and future of the nation.”
The forum urged decisive action, stressing that national progress would remain limited until citizens can live and work without fear.
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