President Bola Tinubu has described insecurity as the most distressing problem confronting Nigeria, particularly in the Northern region, insisting that the situation demands urgent and collective action.
Tinubu, represented by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, spoke on Saturday in Kaduna during the 25th Anniversary celebration of the Arewa Consultative Forum and the launch of its Endowment Fund.
“Nothing troubles me more gravely than the security crisis bedevilling Nigeria, especially Northern Nigeria,” the president said. “We cannot prosper when one limb of the national body is paralysed.”
He acknowledged that his administration inherited deep-rooted security challenges but stressed that efforts were ongoing to dismantle terrorist and bandit networks operating across the North.
According to him, the government is tackling the crisis with “urgency and determination” to prevent further disruption to education, livelihoods and regional development.
Tinubu expressed confidence in the North’s economic potential, noting that he looks forward to a time when crude oil tankers will begin to “roll out from Kolmani and other northern oil fields.”
He added that key projects—such as the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Superhighway—were being accelerated to boost economic activity and connectivity in the region.
The president also urged Northern leaders to be courageous and sincere in addressing the pressing issues affecting their communities.
“We fail the day we sleep comfortably while millions sleep with empty bellies, the day fear becomes a permanent companion for travellers,” he warned.
Tinubu noted that years of division and dysfunction had strained national unity, but the diversity seen at the ACF anniversary showed a commitment to solidarity and collective progress.
He commended the ACF for “25 years of courage, advocacy and principled service,” describing the forum as the conscience of Northern Nigeria for consistently defending fairness, dignity and equality.
He called on leaders across all sectors to recommit themselves to the values that guided the forum’s founders, stressing that the stability of the North was crucial to Nigeria’s peace and development.
