The Arewa Cohesion for Peace, Unity and Development Initiative (ACI) has urged the Federal Government to move beyond rhetoric and take decisive action to end the killings, kidnappings and violent conflicts plaguing Northern Nigeria.
Speaking at a news conference in Kaduna on Sunday to mark the 2025 International Day of Peace, ACI’s Director General, Dr. Abdullahi Idris, said citizens are tired of repeated promises while armed groups continue to terrorise states such as Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina, Plateau and Benue.
“Federal Government must act beyond rhetoric. Protecting lives and fostering peaceful coexistence must become the nation’s most urgent priority,” Dr. Idris declared.
He lamented that while communities were under siege, security agencies often fail to act on credible intelligence, leaving governors handicapped and citizens abandoned.
According to him, inaction at the highest level has allowed insecurity to persist and deepen.
“The time for complacency is over. The time for action is now. History will not forgive inaction when action was most needed,” he warned.
Dr. Idris also criticised some Northern elites for staging flamboyant ceremonies instead of pushing for solution-driven summits to address the crisis.
He stressed that leadership at both the federal and state levels must prioritise the safety and dignity of citizens above all else.
Calling for unity across the North, he said Nigerians must resist division along ethnic and religious lines.
“Diversity must be celebrated, grievances addressed constructively, and communities brought together in mutual respect,” he added.
He further emphasised that peace is not just the absence of violence but the presence of justice, opportunity and dignity.
Urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to demonstrate genuine leadership, the ACI boss said visiting victims, empowering security agencies and acting on intelligence would show citizens that government is serious about ending insecurity.
“Today, our call is clear: Act Now for a Peaceful North. Act Now for a Peaceful Nigeria. Act Now for a Peaceful World,” Dr. Idris concluded.
