The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has voiced significant disappointment with President Bola Tinubu’s recent national address, criticizing the lack of attention to the severe security issues plaguing northern Nigeria.
NEF’s Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, expressed concern that the President’s speech failed to address the escalating problems of banditry, kidnapping, and other criminal activities in the North-West and surrounding regions.
NEF highlighted the severe impact of these issues, including abandoned farmlands, closed schools, and disrupted livelihoods, as well as the growing humanitarian crisis with millions displaced and hundreds of thousands facing hunger and malnutrition. The group had hoped for a speech that would acknowledge these challenges and outline concrete steps to address them, but felt this was missing.
The Forum stressed the need for a comprehensive strategy to combat insurgency and banditry, support internally displaced persons, and rebuild affected communities. They called for urgent and decisive action from the government to restore peace and stability, and to demonstrate a strong commitment to addressing the crisis. NEF also urged President Tinubu to engage with affected communities and work towards lasting solutions to the security challenges facing northern Nigeria.