ACF urges action on insecurity
The Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Mamman Mike Osuman (SAN), has urged political and community leaders in Northern Nigeria to move beyond speeches and take concrete steps to confront insecurity that continues to displace families, shut schools and wreck livelihoods across the region. 
Osuman spoke on Wednesday at the 79th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ACF at the forum’s secretariat in Kaduna, warning that emerging political calculations and regrouping ahead of the 2027 general elections must not overshadow the urgent crisis facing ordinary people. 
In his address, the ACF chairman said the North is contending with terrorism, armed banditry, insurgency and kidnapping, adding that persistent attacks have uprooted communities and disrupted economic activity, particularly in rural areas where farming and local trade remain the backbone of survival. 
ACF urges action on insecurity, Osuman stressed, because the human cost is widening. He cited recent attacks in parts of Kwara, Southern Kaduna, Katsina and Benue, saying the violence has resulted in deaths and mass displacement. 
He said the displacement has forced many families into overcrowded camps and informal settlements with limited access to essential services, a situation that increases the risks of malnutrition and mortality, particularly among vulnerable groups. 
ACF urges action on insecurity not only as a security imperative, he argued, but as a development emergency. According to him, repeated attacks and the prevailing climate of fear have also contributed to school closures, weakened rural economies and restricted movement, affecting access to farming, healthcare and travel. 
Osuman also faulted what he described as a growing culture of political distraction, saying some actors appear more invested in early manoeuvring for 2027 than in dealing with the region’s immediate problems, including out-of-school children, hunger and poverty. 
“This election season has produced convoluted groups whose focus is not on out-of-school children, hunger, poverty or frequent attacks by kidnappers and terrorists, but rather on strategies for repositioning ahead of the 2027 elections,” he said. 
ACF urges action on insecurity with “sincerity, discipline and purpose,” he added, arguing that the forum’s credibility depends on whether it can push solutions and accountability rather than merely hold meetings and issue statements. 
The ACF chairman said insecurity has worsened to the point that “external military assistance has been required,” a line that underscored, in his view, the depth of the crisis and the need for coordinated, sustained response. 
https://ogelenews.ng/acf-chair-urges-northern-leaders-to-act-on-insecurity
Beyond raising alarm, Osuman urged ACF state chapters to engage constructively with governments at national and subnational levels, focusing on peacebuilding and rehabilitation for affected communities. 
ACF urges action on insecurity at the grassroots too, insisting that local leadership must translate concerns into structured engagements that can shape policy, strengthen security coordination and support victims of violence. 
He also spoke about internal reforms within the forum, announcing the endorsement of a nine-member Code of Conduct and Ethics Committee, headed by Prof. Nuhu Mohammed Jamo, aimed at strengthening discipline and constitutional compliance within the ACF. 
Osuman urged members to study the ACF constitution and operate within its boundaries, saying responsibilities and behavioural standards are clearly defined and must guide the group’s actions, especially as the country edges closer to another election cycle. 
ACF urges action on insecurity in a political environment that can easily reward noise over results. Osuman cautioned against what he described as “unnecessary fanfare” and activities that generate headlines but do little to restore safety and welfare in Northern communities. 
He urged the forum to stay fact-based and solutions-oriented, calling on members to use their influence to educate citizens on civic responsibilities and support peaceful, credible elections, even while insisting that the security and humanitarian situation must remain central. 
For many observers, the intervention reflects a growing anxiety across the region: that insecurity is no longer just a policing problem but a full-spectrum crisis affecting education, health, food systems, local economies and trust in governance. Osuman’s message, in essence, is that Northern leaders cannot campaign their way out of a collapsing security environment, and the region’s survival demands measurable action.
http://punchng.com/acf-chair-urges-northern-leaders-to-act-on-insecurity
