The Arewa Consultative Forum has accused political leaders of allowing preparations for the 2027 elections to overshadow the worsening security crisis, warning that Nigerians continue to face killings, abductions and attacks on their communities.
The northern socio-political group urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to shift its attention from electioneering to protecting lives, saying the scale of violence across the country demands urgent action.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. T. A. Muhammad-Baba, the ACF said armed groups continued to attack communities, abduct citizens and destroy livelihoods while political actors focused on the next elections.
“Without equivocation ACF insists that now is the time to stop the politics and end the killings,” the forum said.
The group cited attacks across Zamfara, Plateau, Taraba, Benue, Niger, Katsina and Kogi states, alongside growing concerns over kidnappings in Chikun Local Government Area and communities around Kaduna metropolis.
It said Zamfara State recorded five separate incidents in a single day, involving killings, abductions and looting.
The ACF also expressed concern over children reportedly held by terrorists in Borno, Kwara and other states, as well as the reported abduction of prospective National Youth Service Corps members travelling to their orientation camp in Imo State.
The forum said the incidents reflected a wider security emergency that required more than statements of concern from government officials.
It also criticised President Tinubu’s Independence Anniversary address, arguing that the reference to insecurity did not reflect the severity of the crisis facing the country.
The group questioned how many more citizens must be killed or abducted before the authorities take decisive steps to protect vulnerable communities.
It warned that political campaigns and re-election calculations should not take precedence over the government’s responsibility to safeguard citizens.
“As time is fast running out, electioneering campaigns must give way to action over insecurity,” the ACF said.
The forum called for urgent measures to stop the killings, secure communities and restore public confidence in the government’s ability to protect lives and property.
