Northern Nigeria's Hardship Worsens Amid Tinubu's Economic Policies, ACF Says

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has urged President Bola Tinubu to take decisive action to tackle the mounting challenges of insecurity, poor education and economic hardship in northern Nigeria.

The forum’s plea was contained in a communique released after its National Executive Council meeting held in Kaduna on Wednesday.

The communique signed by the ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, disclosed the dire state of affairs in the region, including the alarming rate of attacks, kidnappings, and killings.

“The North is currently under siege from various threats, including bandits, terrorists, and kidnappers. These incidents have become all too common, and the people of Arewa cannot continue to live under such threats,” the communique stated.

The ACF also raised concerns about the education sector, particularly regarding the high number of out-of-school children in northern Nigeria.

“Statistics of out-of-school children, of which Arewa has an overwhelming proportion, are cogent pointers to the situation,” the forum noted, urging the Federal Government to prioritize educational reforms.

On the economic front, the forum criticised current government policies, stating that they have exacerbated the hardships faced by people in the region.

“Despite the dire economic conditions in Arewa, the policies of the current Federal Government have continued to worsen the situation, showing little sensitivity to the precarious existential challenges faced by the Arewa people,” it said.

The ACF urged President Tinubu to review and reassess his administration’s economic policies to ensure they are more humane and responsive to the needs of the population.

The communique read, “The policies of the current Federal Government have continued to make matters much worse, with little indications of needed sensitivity to the precarious existential conditions of Arewa people.

“The time to think big is now. Notwithstanding the parlous state of Arewa’s glaring challenging economic conditions, the policies of the current Federal Government have continued to make matters much worse.”

Muhammad-Baba noted that the forum expressed concerns over the escalating security situation, noting that it had become a major challenge to human existence.

He explained that security was an irreducible minimum of human existence, adding that the government must take responsibility for safeguarding lives and property.

“Those whose responsibility it is to provide security saying they are doing their best is unacceptable. The minimum duty of the government is to safeguard life and property, and doing anything less is a failure.

"On education, the forum emphasised the dire state of Northern Nigeria’s education system, particularly the alarming number of out-of-school children,” he said.

Muhammad-Baba said, “Statistics of out-of-school children, of which Arewa has an overwhelming proportion, are cogent pointers to the situation.

“A lot has been done, but the truth is, far more needs to be done.”

However, ACF urged northern governors to adopt a strong, coordinated approach to policy planning and implementation, particularly in areas such as security, education, and agricultural production.

“Succinctly stated, economic reforms, while indeed desirable, should not impoverish the same people they are meant to serve; the people may not be alive to reap the putative benefits," Muhammad-Baba said.

He said, “In view of the above, the meeting resolved as follows: calls on the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review, reassess, reevaluate and re-order the direction of its economic policies with a view to giving it the needed human face.

“Strongly calls on the governors of the northern states to adopt a strong, coordinated approach to policy planning and implementation, as these relate to security, education, skills acquisition, agricultural production, health services, etc.”

ACF called on the Federal Government to be receptive to criticisms, suggestions, etc., not only in line with the principles of democracy but also because they improve, not retard the policy process for the ultimate benefit of the people.

They also called on the northern elite, in all spheres of life, to take it upon themselves to counter negative narratives about the North and also imbibe the spirit of community service, individually and collectively.

"The interests of the North will be best served by northerners,” the group said.

ACF said, "The growing food crisis with every through short and long term measures, including imports where needs be, but the ultimate solution is to achieve food self-sufficiency.

“People should take responsibility for our fast-growing population. Public policy and the law should be adopted to achieve a balance.

“Poor electricity supply will continue to hamper efforts to ameliorate poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment in the region. These have to be addressed with utmost urgency.”

Speaking on the rising insecurity in the North, the ACF decried the persistent activities of bandits and terrorists, which have resulted in widespread killings and abductions.

ACF Chairman Mamman Mike Osuman (SAN) called for urgent collective action to address the worsening situation, emphasizing the alarming frequency of attacks and kidnappings.

"The North is currently under siege from multiple threats, including banditry, terrorism, kidnappings, and systemic injustices," Osuman said. "We must unite to confront these challenges."

He urged leaders in the region to show greater commitment to resolving these issues.

"As leaders, it is our duty to act prudently and address the pressing domestic and environmental problems impacting our communities," he stated. "Governors and legislators must collaborate with traditional leaders to tackle the root causes of insecurity."

Osuman also called for public awareness campaigns to educate citizens on self-defence and proactive measures to ensure safety.

"We must develop localized strategies to combat illegal mining, often perpetrated by both foreigners and locals, which exacerbates our region's woes," he added.

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