Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Bashir Dalhatu, says Nigeria is now facing open war from Boko Haram insurgents and armed bandits who have expanded their operations across the northern region and beyond.
He warned that the scale of attacks demands a coordinated West African military response and faster reinforcement of Nigeria’s security institutions.
Speaking on another media house, the ARISE TV News, Dalhatu said the crisis has dragged for more than a decade without decisive resolution.
“This problem has been going on for the last 16 years,” he said, explaining that insurgency began with Boko Haram before spreading into widespread criminal banditry in the North-West and North-Central zones.
He acknowledged renewed government resolve but urged even stronger action. “Recently, we have seen a resurgence of attacks, but we have also noticed a resurgence of government determination,” he said.
He expressed hope that political will could finally break the cycle of violence.
The Nature of Northern Insecurity
Dalhatu drew a clear line between extremist insurgency and economic banditry. According to him, Boko Haram’s operations remain ideological.
“That one is religious philosophy and ideology. They want to establish an Islamic state,” he said, noting that the group kills anyone it considers an obstacle.
Bandits in the North-West, however, operate for profit. “They kidnap people, make money, and they don’t have any particular philosophy they want to establish,” he said.
He argued that both groups now pose an international threat extending into neighboring West African states.
“Boko Haram and these bandits have declared war on Nigeria. And they are not only in Nigeria; they are in other parts of West Africa,” he warned, urging the ECOWAS region to mobilize joint troops as a single force.
A Case for Re-Enlisting Retired Soldiers
Dalhatu welcomed the federal government’s current recruitment drive but suggested a cheaper, faster option: recalling retired security personnel.
“They already have the experience, and they know the environment very well,” he said. He believes re-enlistment could speed up operations toward what he called the “complete elimination” of armed groups.
The ACF chairman addressed public questions about the group’s influence at high-level northern security meetings. He described the forum as an advocacy body rather than an executive organ. “We don’t have executive or legislative functions,” he clarified.
Still, he stressed the forum’s importance. “Arewa Consultative Forum is the creation of all the northern governors, all the northern emirs and chiefs, all the northern professionals and senior citizens,” he said.
Although ACF does not hold a permanent seat, he explained they attend meetings when invited and request attendance when necessary.
He warned that insecurity is now choking economic life across the region. “You cannot go to your farms. You cannot even earn a livelihood,” he said, describing the situation as a spreading danger covering “larger and bigger areas.”
Population, Out-Of-School Children, And Northern Responsibility
Dalhatu also conceded that the North faces a self-inflicted demographic burden. “I am admitting it: partly it is our problem,” he said.
He lamented the estimated 15 million out-of-school children reported by organizations such as UNICEF, and the long-term risk of radicalization and poverty.
He said the ACF is now investing in skill acquisition and adult education. “Last week in Kaduna, we established an endowment fund for skill acquisition,” he said, adding that former street children must be trained to become productive citizens.
Dalhatu confirmed that serious debates are ongoing in the North over how best to confront insecurity. He said neither negotiation nor military force alone can deliver peace.
“A mixture of the two has been used successfully in quite a number of places,” he said.
He referenced the Niger Delta amnesty programme as a model worth studying. “It worked perfectly. They were sent to school, came back and became integrated citizens,” he recalled.
Still, he insisted that extending a “hand of friendship” must never be mistaken for condoning crime. “What they are doing is illegal and criminal, and those caught in the process are punished,” he said.
He explained that governments already combine talks and combat operations. “They talk to them, and they also fight them,” he said. With improved government resolve, he believes “a lot of successes” are within reach.
Religion, Kidnapping, And Misconceptions
Reacting to controversial statements by some clerics, Dalhatu said the ACF rejects all forms of religious justification for violence. “The life of a Christian is as good as the life of a Muslim,” he said. Killing anyone, he added, is “highly condemnable”.
On claims that kidnapping is a “lesser evil”, he offered a blunt personal view:
“If you give me a choice whether I should be kidnapped or killed, I will tell you to kidnap me and not to kill me. But both are condemnable.”
Dalhatu welcomed public debates on security, saying all Nigerians have a constitutional right to express their views, but insisted government must ultimately choose the best policy direction.
Responding to allegations that influential northern figures shield criminal groups, Dalhatu rejected the claims as irrational. “Nobody in his right senses would know a killer or a kidnapper and tolerate such a situation,” he said, citing the daily suffering of farmers, traders, and rural families.
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