Insecurity Has Reached “War-Like Level,” ACF Warns Federal Government

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has warned that Nigeria’s worsening security situation has escalated to what it described as a “war-like level,” calling on the Federal Government to take urgent and decisive action to address the crisis.

The warning was issued in Abuja after the forum’s 38th board meeting, which was chaired by its leader, Bashir Dalhatu, and attended by prominent northern figures including Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, Mohammed D. Abubakar, Tukur Yusufu Buratai and Tijjani Muhammad-Bande.

The ACF’s statement comes in the wake of renewed violence across parts of the country, including a Boko Haram attack in Mussa community, Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, where six soldiers and a woman were reportedly killed.

It also follows international concern, including calls by a United States lawmaker, Kimberly Daniels, and a group of diplomats urging a review of Nigeria’s defence leadership following recent attacks on Christian communities during the 2026 Easter period.

In its communiqué, the forum said the scale and frequency of attacks, as well as their human cost, require a fundamental rethink of Nigeria’s national priorities. It stressed that the situation should now be treated as a national emergency.

According to the group, insecurity has moved beyond insurgency, banditry, and communal clashes, warning that it now poses a serious threat to the country’s stability and long-term survival.

The forum noted that thousands of lives have been lost while many communities in states such as Borno, Plateau, Niger and Kwara have been displaced. It added that members of the armed forces have also suffered casualties in the ongoing violence.

It further warned that the humanitarian fallout has left communities devastated, disrupted livelihoods, and placed additional pressure on an already struggling economy. Rising insecurity, it said, is also worsening inflation and hampering agricultural production.

The ACF stated that prioritising security funding is essential for economic recovery, stressing that redirecting national resources toward defence should be seen as necessary rather than optional.

“Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads,” the forum said, adding that the country’s future progress depends on restoring safety and ensuring citizens can live and work without fear.

It urged the Federal Government to adopt what it described as a wartime approach to the crisis, including scaling down non-essential expenditures in order to strengthen security response nationwide.