NYUF demands crackdown on killings, kidnappings and banditry, calls for terror designation of militia and urgent deployment of 2,000 forest guards per state

The Northwest Youths Unity Forum (NYUF) has issued a 30-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding immediate and decisive action to halt the escalating violence, kidnappings, and bloodshed ravaging states across Nigeria’s Northwest region.

In a strongly worded communiqué released after an emergency meeting in Gusau, Zamfara State, the forum warned that it would explore “all lawful means” to hold government and other responsible parties accountable if the killings and displacement of communities do not stop within the stipulated timeframe.

Signed by NYUF Chairman, Murtala Ishaqa Jangebe, the communiqué painted a grim picture of the security situation in the region. The group accused the so-called “Birom militia” of carrying out merciless attacks that have led to mass killings, destruction of property, and the displacement of thousands of innocent citizens. It urged the Federal Government to formally designate and proscribe the group as a terrorist organization under Nigerian law.

“The Northwest has become a theatre of sorrow,” the communiqué stated. “Communities are under siege from armed bandits, kidnappers, rapists, and cattle rustlers. Our people are being slaughtered, women violated, villages sacked, and billions of naira extorted through ransom payments. No road is safe, and many once-vibrant communities have become uninhabitable.”

The forum lamented that hundreds of villages have been overrun, forcing residents to flee to state capitals and local government headquarters for safety. It noted that major highways linking Jigawa, Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, and Zamfara have become death traps, severely crippling commerce, agriculture, and daily life across the region.

Beyond calling on the Federal Government, the NYUF also directed the governors of the seven Northwest states to take immediate complementary action. It demanded the urgent recruitment of 2,000 forest guards per state, fully equipped with modern weapons and logistics, to secure forests and rural areas that have become hideouts for criminal gangs.

“This is a call to conscience,” Jangebe said. “The primary duty of any government is the protection of lives and property. If the Federal Government and state governors fail to act within 30 days, the youths of the Northwest will not remain silent. We will mobilize through every lawful and democratic channel to demand justice and accountability.”

Security analysts have repeatedly flagged the Northwest as one of Nigeria’s most volatile zones, where banditry, kidnapping-for-ransom, and communal clashes have displaced over a million people in recent years, according to humanitarian reports. The region’s vast, ungoverned forests have provided cover for armed groups to operate with relative impunity.

The NYUF’s ultimatum adds to growing pressure on both federal and state authorities to rethink their counter-banditry strategy and restore public confidence ahead of the 2027 election cycle.

As of press time, there has been no official response from the Presidency or the Northwest Governors’ Forum.