- Vows to reverse region’s economic decline, fast-track Kolmani oil exploitation
- Gowon, Sani, elders push for united front against insecurity
- President firm in his support for North’s interests, devt – Barau
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s determination to eliminate terrorist and bandit groups tormenting the northern part of the country, declaring that no region of the country will be left to bleed while his government stands by.
He said the layers and sophistication of the security crisis inherited were daunting, but his resolve to end the menace remains firm and urgent.
Tinubu also pledged to reverse the long-running economic decline of the North, expressing optimism that the region is on the verge of a major turnaround with the anticipated rollout of crude oil from the Kolmani fields and other emerging oil prospects across the region.
Speaking at the 25th Anniversary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in Kaduna, the President who was represented by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajuddeen Abbas said the North is facing one of the gravest tests in its history, a corrosion of security, a collapse of communal ethics and a distortion of the moral compass that once held its communities together.
He warned that Nigeria cannot prosper when a key part of its national body is “paralysed,” stressing that the North’s stability is essential to the peace and progress of the entire federation.
Tinubu praised the ACF for serving as the conscience of the region for 25 years, describing the forum as a reservoir of patriots, thinkers, moral leaders and negotiators who have defended the dignity and interests of millions across the North.
He noted that the founding fathers of the ACF anticipated moments of national strain and built an institution strong enough to articulate the hopes of the region. According to him, the North’s triumph will depend on the strength of its institutions rather than on strong individuals.
The President said he attended the anniversary “not as a son of the region, but as a son of the Nigerian federation,” bound by duty and conscience to every part of the country. He urged leaders to embrace selflessness and moral responsibility, warning that privilege comes with accountability.
Tinubu said the North has not failed, but could fail if leaders retreat from their obligation to be their brothers’ keepers. He noted that failure begins the day leaders sleep comfortably while millions sleep hungry or travel in fear across short distances.
He insisted that hope is not lost, despite decades of dysfunction that weakened bonds and deepened distrust. The ethnic and religious diversity represented at the ACF anniversary, he said, signals the region’s readiness to overcome division and rebuild unity.
According to him, rebuilding trust across communities is fundamental because insecurity will persist, economic stagnation will deepen and educational deficits will widen unless social harmony is restored.
The President listed key interventions under his administration, including accelerated road, rail and river transport projects across the North. Chief among them is the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Superhighway, which he said would be completed and commissioned in Kano in the coming months.
Tinubu described the proposed ACF Endowment Fund as a bold and visionary step toward securing the region’s future. He said the fund’s focus on girl-child education, youth skills development, peacebuilding and conflict resolution aligns with the country’s broader development agenda.
He urged Northern leaders across government, traditional institutions and civil society to recommit themselves to the ideals that inspired the formation of the ACF 25 years ago, courage, justice, fairness and collective responsibility.
Tinubu warned that unity remains the North’s strongest asset. Without it, he said, security initiatives will sputter, economic opportunities will slip away and the region’s political influence will diminish. But with unity, “there is no challenge the region cannot overcome.”
The President concluded by calling on the ACF to continue acting as the moral compass of the region, asserting that the North has the capacity to reclaim its stability, rebuild its economy and remain a central pillar of Nigeria’s collective progress.
At the event climaxing the 25th anniversary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF),
Northern leaders warned that the region must urgently rebuild its unity and confront insecurity head-on or risk sliding into deeper turmoil.
Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, who served as the Chairman of the occasion, delivered a stern reminder that peace remains the North’s most precious but endangered asset.
Gowon, who was represented by former Vice-President, Arc. Mohammed Sambo, described unity, peace and harmony as the very oxygen required for development and collective dignity, saying that, the ACF was founded to champion moderation and national cohesion, insisting that those guiding principles must be restored as daily realities, not rhetorical slogans.
According to Gowon, “Without unity we fracture. Without peace we stagnate,” he warned, noting that extremists continue to exploit divisions within northern communities.
ACF Board of Trustees Chairman, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, said the forum emerged in 2000 to provide moral leadership as the North faced rising pressures—pressures that today have grown even more frightening.
He cited repeated attacks, abductions and the killing of a senior military officer as proof that too many communities remain exposed to violent threats.
“Government must find a way to end the violence rapidly. The consequences of failure, God forbid, are too frightening to contemplate,” Dalhatu stressed.
He lamented the closure of hundreds of boarding schools due to insecurity, calling it a painful reflection of a region under siege and a generation at risk.
Dalhatu urged deeper collaboration between traditional leaders, governors and security agencies, acknowledging current efforts but insisting “much more must be done.”
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, represented by Deputy Governor Dr Hadiza Balarabe, reaffirmed Kaduna’s commitment to sustaining peace, inclusion and rural transformation as non-negotiable pillars of development.
He described Kaduna as the “historic centre of Northern identity,” adding that hosting the ACF headquarters is not just an honour but a solemn responsibility to shape the region’s future.
Sani said his administration had embraced a leadership model rooted in inclusion, transparency, reconciliation and citizen participation—an approach he said was rebuilding trust across long-fractured communities.
He outlined the Kaduna Peace Model, which integrates governance, security, urban planning, infrastructure and environmental reforms into what he called “one ecosystem of stability.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin has affirmed that President Tinubu has remained unwavering in his support for the interests and development of Northern Nigeria, saying the region has never taken any request to him without receiving prompt attention and concrete action.
Speaking at the 25th Anniversary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in Kaduna, Barau said President Tinubu has consistently demonstrated goodwill towards the North, backing key interventions on security, agriculture and education, and responding swiftly to issues affecting the region.
Barau, who represented the Senate at the event, said the North must acknowledge and leverage this presidential support to resolve longstanding challenges, especially insecurity. He stressed that the President’s listening ear and willingness to act had placed the region in a position of unique advantage within the current political moment.
He noted that despite worrisome projections contained in a trend analysis earlier presented at the event, the North has no reason to despair, insisting that a resilient people backed by a supportive President would always triumph. “We are a strong, tough and hardworking people,” he said. “And we have a President who listens and supports us whenever we present our needs.”
The Deputy Senate President said insecurity had earlier spread from the Northwest, but could be surmounted the same way the Southwest overcame its own crises through unity and coordinated security action. “If the Southwest can become the safest part of the country today, then we too can do it,” he declared.
He urged northern leaders to come together and take full advantage of increased revenues now accruing to federal and subnational governments, noting that the National Assembly stands ready to support initiatives that can strengthen security and promote development across the region.
Barau emphasized the need for closer collaboration between northern governors, lawmakers and the ACF leadership, saying such synergy would help refine existing strategies and produce results similar to other regions that have successfully confronted their security challenges.
He also urged the ACF to actively convene and coordinate regional security discussions, lamenting that several previous meetings were held without inviting top federal lawmakers. “Invite us,” he said. “We can influence funding. We can give weight to these initiatives.”
The Deputy Senate President further pointed to the presence of a committed Secretary to the Government of the Federation and hardworking northern ministers— including the Budget and Economic Planning Minister—as additional assets the region must harness.
Congratulating the ACF on its Silver Jubilee, Barau said the next phase of the Forum’s work must focus on mobilising the region’s collective strength, reaffirming its resilience, and partnering with a President who remains firmly aligned with the North’s aspirations.
