By Desire Emmanuel
President Bola Tinubu on Saturday, November 22, said insecurity remains the most troubling challenge facing Nigeria, especially the Northern region.
He added that nothing troubles him more gravely than the security crisis plaguing Nigeria, especially Northern Nigeria, saying the country cannot prosper when one limb of the national body is paralysed.
Tinubu said these on Saturday in Kaduna State at the 25th anniversary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the launch of its Endowment Fund.
Tinubu disclosed that urgent efforts were required to rebuild trust, strengthen unity and restore safety across communities.
Tinubu, represented by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Tajudeen Abbas, at the event, said insecurity must be tackled decisively to prevent further economic decline and educational setbacks.
Tinubu said: “Nothing troubles me more gravely than the security crisis bedevilling Nigeria, especially Northern Nigeria, We cannot prosper when one limb of the national body is paralysed.”
He said his administration inherited complex security challenges but was addressing them with “urgency and determination.”
The president said that the government was committed to eliminating terrorist and bandit groups operating in the North and reversing the region’s economic decline.
He expressed optimism about Northern Nigeria’s economic prospects, saying he looks forward to the day crude oil tankers begin to roll out from Kolmani and other northern oil fields.
He said the North must speak with honest and courageous voices to address its challenges, warning that the region cannot progress if leaders fail to protect vulnerable communities.
“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 added that although decades of dysfunction had strained unity, the diversity represented at the ACF anniversary demonstrated a collective resolve to resist division and restore solidarity.
