News reports that the warning was contained in a communiqué issued after the forum’s 38th Board of Trustees meeting held on Wednesday, April 15, and signed by its Chairman, Bashir Dalhatu.

The meeting, attended by prominent northern leaders including former government officials, diplomats, and retired security chiefs, reviewed the rising wave of violence across the country, particularly in the North.

The ACF said the security situation has evolved from isolated cases of insurgency, banditry, and communal clashes into a widespread and coordinated threat to national stability.

Recent attacks in states such as Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, and Benue, which left several people dead and displaced many others, further heightened concerns raised by the forum.

It also referenced deadly incidents in Maiduguri, including coordinated explosions that claimed multiple lives, as well as intensified attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP on military formations in Borno State.

The forum noted that several senior military officers were among those killed in recent operations, despite ongoing counter-insurgency efforts by the armed forces in key hotspots such as Sambisa Forest, Timbuktu Triangle, and the Lake Chad Basin.

ACF said the scale and persistence of the violence demand a complete shift in national priorities, stressing that insecurity should now be treated as an emergency.

It expressed concern over the humanitarian toll of the crisis, including widespread killings, mass displacement, and the destruction of communities across several states.

The group also warned that the crisis is severely affecting agriculture and the economy, particularly in northern Nigeria, where farming activities have been disrupted, leading to food shortages and rising inflation.

Calling for a “wartime approach,” the ACF urged the government to redirect resources from non-essential projects to security operations.

It also advised a broader strategy that combines stronger security action with long-term measures addressing poverty, unemployment, and education gaps, warning that neglecting root causes will worsen the crisis.

Other groups, including Afenifere, also raised concerns over rising attacks, calling for stronger collaboration among state governments and improved coordination among security agencies.

Meanwhile, security experts and retired officers urged reforms within the security architecture, including better funding, improved logistics, and stronger synergy among agencies to tackle the growing threat.