President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s determination to bring an end to terrorism and banditry ravaging northern Nigeria, declaring that no region of the country will be abandoned in the face of insecurity.
Tinubu’s remarks were delivered on Saturday at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in Kaduna. The president was represented at the event by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
Addressing northern leaders and stakeholders, Tinubu said he inherited a “daunting” security situation upon taking office, but insisted that his government remains firmly committed to restoring safety and stability across the region. “No part of this country will be allowed to bleed while the federal government watches,” he said.
The president acknowledged that the north is confronting “one of the gravest tests in its history”, citing widespread violence, communal breakdown and economic strain. He described the present circumstances as “a corrosion of security, a collapse of communal ethics and a distortion of the moral compass that once held its communities together”.
Tinubu argued that Nigeria cannot achieve national progress while a central region remains “paralysed” by insecurity. He emphasised that the stability of the north is indispensable to the country’s peace and economic development.
Highlighting the region’s economic potential, the president pointed to the anticipated commencement of crude oil production from the Kolmani fields and other emerging investment prospects, which he said could help reverse years of economic decline in the north.
Tinubu also praised the Arewa Consultative Forum, describing it as “a reservoir of patriots, thinkers, moral leaders and negotiators” who have consistently defended the dignity and aspirations of millions of northerners. He said the organisation’s founders had the foresight to establish a body capable of guiding the region through periods of national strain.
Calling for more decisive leadership across the north, Tinubu urged political and traditional leaders to embody selflessness and accountability. “Failure begins the day leaders sleep comfortably while millions sleep hungry or move in fear across short distances,” he said.
Despite the challenges, the president expressed optimism about the region’s future. He said the religious and ethnic diversity displayed at the anniversary event reflected a renewed readiness to rebuild unity and confront shared problems. “With unity, there is no challenge the region cannot overcome,” he declared.
Tinubu encouraged the ACF to continue serving as the moral compass of the north, expressing confidence that the region would regain stability, revive its economy, and remain a central pillar of Nigeria’s progress.
The president’s comments come amid a recent surge in mass abductions and deadly attacks across parts of the northern region, underscoring the urgency of the security concerns he addressed.
