President Bola Tinubu has described insecurity as Nigeria’s most pressing challenge, particularly in the North, warning that the country cannot make meaningful progress unless peace is restored.
Speaking in Kaduna on Saturday through the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, at the 25th Anniversary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the unveiling of its Endowment Fund, the president said rebuilding trust and safeguarding communities had become urgent national priorities.
Tinubu noted that his administration met deeply rooted security problems but was confronting them with “urgency and determination.” He stressed that tackling terrorism and banditry in the North was essential to halting economic deterioration and preventing further disruption to education.
“Nothing troubles me more gravely than the security crisis bedevilling Nigeria, especially Northern Nigeria. We cannot prosper when one limb of the national body is paralysed,” Tinubu said.
The president reaffirmed his commitment to dismantling criminal networks and revitalising the North’s economy. He expressed confidence in the region’s future, envisioning a time “crude oil tankers begin to roll out from Kolmani and other northern oil fields.”
He also highlighted major infrastructure projects, including the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Superhighway, which he said were being accelerated to stimulate growth and improve connectivity.
Tinubu urged northern leaders to confront the region’s challenges with sincerity and courage, cautioning that progress is impossible if the most vulnerable are neglected. “We fail the day we sleep comfortably while millions sleep with empty bellies, the day fear becomes a permanent companion for travellers,” he warned.
Despite decades of setbacks that have strained unity, Tinubu said the broad representation at the ACF event reflected a shared commitment to resist division and rebuild solidarity.
He commended the ACF for 25 years of standing as the “conscience of Northern Nigeria,” upholding justice, equity and the dignity of millions. The anniversary, he said, marks a legacy of courage and principled advocacy.
Tinubu called on leaders from every sector to renew their dedication to the values on which the ACF was founded, stressing that the North’s stability and cohesion remain central to Nigeria’s peace and development.
