ADG calls for collective action to confront security challenges

By Demola Akinyemi Ilorin

The Arewa Discussion Group (ADG) has called for collective action to confront devastating security challenges threatening the very fabric of the region.

Spokesperson of ADG
Dr. Garba Abari made the call in a statement to commemorate the sixty years of remembrance of Sir Ahmadu Bello

According to the statement,”today solemnly marks the anniversary of the passing of Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto and first Premier of Northern Nigeria.

“We reflect on his unparalleled legacy of unity and issue an urgent call for collective action to confront the devastating security challenges that now threaten the very fabric of our region.

The ADG, also said that”Sir Ahmadu Bello’s greatest achievement was forging a diverse North into a united, purposeful family. His foundational principle, ‘What unites us outweighs what divides us,’ is not a historical footnote—it is the critical formula for our survival today. We face common enemies in banditry, insurgency, and kidnapping that recognise no ethnic or state boundaries. Our response must be equally unified.”

The ADG acknowledged that the prosperous and peaceful society envisioned by the Sardauna is under relentless siege.

The security architecture he helped establish has been overwhelmed by new, complex threats.

Where he built institutions for development, we now see institutions strained by conflict; where he fostered communal bonds, we now see distrust and fear.

The group emphasized that the current piecemeal approach to security, where states and communities act in isolation, has proven inadequate.

It added that the violence has resulted in tragic losses, displacing millions and crippling agriculture and commerce—the lifeblood of the regional economy. The social fabric woven by our forebears is being torn apart by forces that thrive on our division.

Other demands of the group also include:

A Direct Call for Unified Confrontation:

The Arewa Discussion Group, under the leadership of its Chairman, Alhaji Maisudan Muhammed Bello, Tafidan Dutse, asserted that the time for rhetorical unity is over, stressing that the moment demands actionable, collaborative strategy. We call on all leaders, political, traditional, religious, and communal to:

Move beyond ad-hoc meetings and develop a harmonized strategy to dismantle criminal networks. Ensure that the specific security and developmental needs of the North are addressed with the urgency and resources they require. A divided voice yields diluted results.

Mobilize Community Solidarity: Revive the Sardauna’s spirit of collective responsibility. Security agencies must work with rebuilt community trust frameworks to isolate criminal elements and protect vulnerable populations. We must see our security as interdependent.

The Indivisible Link Between Security and Prosperity.

The ADG stresses that Sir Ahmadu Bello’s dreams of education, economic growth, and generational advancement cannot be pursued in an atmosphere of fear and instability. Insecurity is the primary obstacle to the North’s prosperity. No child can learn in a school under threat, no farmer can cultivate fields in fear, and no investor will build in a climate of risk.

Our tribute to the Sardauna must be a relentless pursuit of the conditions that allow his vision to flourish. This begins with securing our homes, our highways, our markets, and our schools.

The Path Forward: Together or Not at All

The ADG believes that the North stands at a crossroads. One path leads to continued fragmentation and decline. The other, paved by the lessons of our founding father, leads to a unified confrontation of our challenges and a reclamation of our destiny.

“We must choose, decisively, to be our brother’s keeper,” the statement concludes. “The Arewa Discussion Group is committed to being a catalyst for this essential unity. We call for an immediate, summit of northern leadership dedicated solely to forging a concrete pact for regional security. Our collective future depends on the courage we show today.”

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