By Miriam Humbe
Amid the worrisome escalating banditry and terrorism across northern Nigeria, the Arewa Broadcasting Media Practitioners Forum (ABMPF) has called on the Federal Government to immediately declare a State of Emergency on insecurity in the region.
The forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Yelwa said this when he addressed a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said the deteriorating security situation required a new approach that empowered communities to play an active role in protecting themselves.
The ABMPF said that residents could no longer afford to remain passive in the face of persistent attacks against their lives and property.
He said that the adoption of a community-based self-defence strategy was necessary at this point to combat the menace,
Yelwa said: “Let us give communities a sense of self-defense, and you’d be surprised how many of them would be ready to stand up. This banditry is a war with no end in sight. We must devise a tactical system to confront it”.
His comments come in the face of a renewed wave of violent attacks, kidnappings and killings in several parts of the country, particularly in the North, where insecurity has displaced thousands of residents and forced many farmers to abandon their farmlands.
Yelwa said the security crisis has worsened since the beginning of 2026, citing coordinated attacks on military formations and sustained assaults on communities across multiple states. He argued that existing security measures have failed to stem the tide of violence.
While acknowledging the efforts of security agencies, he stressed the need for security solutions that reflect local realities.
“Most often, the problems are in our villages, but the solutions are being designed here in Abuja,” he said. “We need a decentralised security framework that allows communities to take ownership of their safety.”
He also called on residents to help identify individuals and networks supporting criminal activities.
The ABMPF Chairman said: “Communities must identify the ecosystem of banditry and expose informants and other facilitators who enable these criminal groups to operate”.
Yelwa said the prevailing “culture of victimhood,” where communities wait helplessly for attacks, must be replaced with a more proactive mindset.
He said: “The culture of victimhood, where communities sit waiting for their invasion and are subsequently sacked by bandits and terrorists, must end”.
The ABMPF chairman therefore, urged the Federal Government to declare a State of Emergency on security in northern Nigeria and intensify military operations against criminal groups operating from forest enclaves.
Although he expressed support for the establishment of state police and forest guard structures, Yelwa maintained that such initiatives must be complemented by stronger federal security interventions.
Beyond the immediate security concerns, the forum warned that the violence has triggered a broader humanitarian and economic crisis across the region. It noted that widespread attacks have disrupted agricultural activities, reduced food production and contributed to growing food insecurity.
The forum also expressed concern over the increasing number of out-of-school children, warning that prolonged insecurity threatens the region’s long-term social and economic development.
Speaking on behalf of the forum’s Board of Trustees, Shu’aibu Mungadi said the organisation was committed to amplifying the concerns of ordinary Nigerians affected by insecurity and governance challenges.
Mungadi also identified illegal mining as a major driver of insecurity in the North, calling for stricter regulation and oversight of the sector.
Mungadi said: “A lot of the insecurity we are witnessing in the North is driven by illegal mining. The region is not benefiting from the abundant mineral resources, particularly gold, being extracted from states such as Zamfara and others”.
He urged the Federal Government to implement pcurbing the illicit exploitation of mineral resources, improve accountability and ensure that local communities benefit from the region’s natural wealth.
The ABMPF said the Forum was ready to partner with government institutions, security agencies and other stakeholders and stressed the urgent need for coordinated action to address the deepening security crisis.
The ABMPF represents more than 150 National Broadcasting Commission (NBC)-licensed private broadcast operators and media influencers across northern Nigeria. The organisation is also a member of the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON).
Its leadership said that the Forum has consistently engaged government agencies and professional bodies to promote the role of broadcast media in advancing development and addressing critical challenges in the Northern region.
It estimates that its member platforms collectively reach an audience of more than 85 million people.
