By Oso Abidemi
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF), has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately declare a state of emergency in northern Nigeria following the deadly ambush that claimed over 20 soldiers and civilians in Bangi, Niger State.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, the NEF described the attack as a direct declaration of war on the Nigerian state and said northern Nigeria is bleeding under relentless terrorist assaults.
“More than 20 uniformed defenders of the nation were slaughtered like animals,” the NEF said. “This is not just insecurity; it’s an unrelenting campaign of terror, mass murder, and state failure.”
The Forum criticized the government’s failure to protect lives and property, lamenting that entire communities across Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Borno are under attack while perpetrators roam freely.
“The North is drowning in blood, and the federal government appears either powerless or absent,” Jiddere stated. “We will no longer accept condolences or empty promises.”
The NEF demanded aggressive, coordinated military and intelligence operations to eliminate terrorists and criminal elements.
They warned that continued federal inaction would provoke public resistance and further erode the government’s legitimacy.
“The blood of Northern Nigerians is not cheap,” the statement read. “Enough is enough. The North will not kneel before terror.”
