President Bola Tinubu has said that Nigeria’s security challenges particularly in the North remain his greatest concern. Speaking in Kaduna on Saturday, Tinubu stressed the need for urgent action to rebuild trust, strengthen unity and restore safety across affected communities.
Represented by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, the President delivered the remarks at the 25th Anniversary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the launch of its Endowment Fund.
Tinubu noted that insecurity must be confronted decisively to prevent further economic decline and educational setbacks.
“Nothing troubles me more gravely than the security crisis bedevilling Nigeria, especially Northern Nigeria,” he said. “We cannot prosper when one limb of the national body is paralysed.”
He explained that although his administration inherited complex security problems, it is addressing them with urgency and determination. Tinubu reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating terrorist and bandit groups operating in the North and reversing the region’s economic stagnation.
Expressing optimism about economic prospects in Northern Nigeria, Tinubu said he looked forward to the day crude oil tankers would roll out from Kolmani and other oil fields in the region.
He added that major infrastructure projects such as the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Superhighway were being fast-tracked for completion and commissioning.
The President also urged Northern leaders to speak boldly and honestly about the region’s challenges, warning that progress would remain elusive if vulnerable communities continue to suffer.
“We fail the day we sleep comfortably while millions sleep with empty bellies; the day fear becomes a permanent companion for travellers,” he said.
Tinubu acknowledged that decades of dysfunction had strained national unity, but said the diversity represented at the ACF anniversary was proof of a shared resolve to resist division and rebuild solidarity.
He praised the ACF for 25 years of advocacy, describing its Silver Jubilee as a celebration of courage, principle and service. He urged leaders across sectors to recommit to the values that shaped the forum’s founding, stressing that the stability of Northern Nigeria is essential to the peace and development of the entire country.
NAN
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