Northern Leaders Want Service Chiefs Out. Now.
By: Abudu Olalekan
Enough is enough. That’s the message.
The Northern Ethnic National Forum didn’t mince words Sunday when they basically told President Bola Tinubu: Fire your security chiefs or watch the North burn. Harsh? Maybe. But when bandits are having breakfast in villages while soldiers are nowhere to be found, diplomatic language goes out the window.
Picture this scene from last week – a grandmother in Zamfara hiding her grandchildren in a grain silo as gunmen ransack her village. Again. For the third time this year. This isn’t some dystopian movie script. It’s Tuesday in northern Nigeria.
NENF Convener Dominic Alancha laid it bare in his statement, mixing frustration with barely contained anger. “The security situation in northern Nigeria has degenerated into a full-blown catastrophe,” he said. No sugar-coating there. The forum acknowledge Tinubu’s economic reforms – subsidy removal, forex changes – but then comes the kicker: what good is economic progress when people can’t sleep peacefully in their homes?
“Daily, our communities are ravaged by bandits, terrorists, and criminal elements who operate with impunity,” the statement continued. The word “impunity” stings because it suggests these criminals aren’t even trying to hide anymore. Why should they? The consequences seems minimal.
Here’s what really gets under their skin: the money. Billions upon billions allocated for security, yet farmers can’t go to their farms, traders can’t travel between towns, and schools are shutting down because teachers are scared. Where’s all that money going? The forum wants answers, but more importantly, they want heads to roll.
“We angrily and unequivocally demand the immediate dismissal and replacement of all Service Chiefs,” they declared. Not one or two. All of them. Clean house. Start fresh. They want “doers, thinkers, and strategists” – people who actually get results, not just those who give impressive PowerPoint presentations in Abuja while villages burns.
The cabinet isn’t safe either. NENF wants a reshuffle there too, arguing many ministers have failed to translate Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda into anything tangible. With 2027 elections looming, they’re essentially telling the president: your political survival depends on fixing this mess. Fast.
Young voices are joining the chorus, but with a twist. The National Youth Council gathered in Kaduna, and while they support National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu’s dual approach – mixing military action with dialogue – they’re also playing politics. They’ve unanimously backed Ahmad Rufai Khalifa, grandson of Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, as their presidential candidate for the council’s October elections. Smart move or nepotism? Time will tell.
Saleh Kuba, who convened the youth meeting, made an interesting observation. Insecurity wasn’t even on their agenda, yet it dominated every conversation. “When you deploy kinetic means, you also deploy non-kinetic ones,” he explained, using military jargon that basically means: guns alone won’t solve this. You need to understand why people pick up weapons in the first place.
The youths want governors recognized as genuine chief security officers in their states, not just ceremonial titles. They want federal-state collaboration that actually works, not the current arrangement where everyone points fingers when things go wrong.
This isn’t the first time northerners have screamed about security. The Northern Elders Forum made similar demands just days ago, warning about “looming anarchy.” When elders start using words like anarchy, you know things are bad.
Tinubu faces a defining moment. The North gave him significant votes. They’re watching. Waiting. The grandmother in Zamfara doesn’t care about economic indices or diplomatic achievements. She just want her grandchildren to play outside without fear.
The clock’s ticking. Northern leaders have spoken. The question now: Is anybody in Abuja actually listening? Or will it take another tragedy before action replaces rhetoric?
The service chiefs should probably update their resumes. Just saying.
