ACF Decries Escalating Banditry and Kidnappings in Northern Nigeria, Urges Unity

On Wednesday, August 20, 2025, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) expressed deep concern over the worsening scourge of banditry, kidnappings, and other criminal activities devastating Northern Nigeria, as stated by ACF Chairman Chief Mamman Osuman, SAN, during the 78th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the Forum’s Kaduna secretariat, per Vanguard and New National Star. Osuman highlighted the region’s losses to “evil criminals, psychopaths, gangsters, bandits, marauders, and terrorists,” compounded by natural disasters like floods, which displaced over 1.4 million people and killed 612 in 2022, with 2024 figures expected to be higher (Daily Post). He urged northern families and communities to remain vigilant and united, warning against complacency akin to an “ostrich hiding its head in the sand”.

Osuman paid tribute to deceased northern leaders, including former President Muhammadu Buhari, Justice Mohammed Uwais, Prof. Jubril Aminu, Chief Audu Ogbe, and Alhaji Aminu Dantata, leading a one-minute silence in their honor. He reiterated the ACF’s non-partisan stance, emphasizing its commitment to safeguarding Northern interests within Nigeria’s unity. The NEC discussed the ACF’s 25th anniversary plans for October 15–30, 2025, and issues like the Ette boundary crisis, with a communiqué expected from Publicity Secretary Prof. Tukur Baba (The Whistler). X posts from @ArewaVoice (August 20, 2025) echoed the call for unity, while @Naija_Activist noted that banditry has led to over 8,000 deaths and 6,000 abductions in the North since 2020 (ACLED, 2025), highlighting public frustration with ongoing insecurity. The ACF’s formation of security committees in September 2024 signals ongoing efforts to address the crisis (Punch).