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Nigeria in a state of war- ACF
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has declared that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity has escalated into a “state of war,” calling on the Federal Government to urgently reorder national priorities and treat security as the country’s most pressing emergency.
This position was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the 38th meeting of the ACF Board of Trustees on Wednesday and and signed by its Chairman, Bashir M. Dalhatu.
The meeting, attended by prominent northern leaders, including former top government officials, diplomats and security chiefs, deliberated extensively on the persistent violence across the country, particularly in the northern region.
The forum noted that Nigeria’s security challenges have grown beyond isolated incidents of insurgency, banditry and communal clashes, evolving into widespread violence threatening national stability.
According to the communiqué, insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnappings in the North-West and North-Central, as well as farmer-herder conflicts, have combined to create a dangerous situation requiring urgent and decisive action.
“The scale, persistence and human cost of the violence demand a fundamental shift in national priorities,” the forum stated, adding that the crisis should no longer be treated as one of many governance issues but as the overriding national emergency.
The ACF expressed deep concern over the human toll of the crisis, revealing that hundreds of thousands of Nigerians have been killed or displaced in states such as Borno, Plateau, Niger and Kwara, among others. It added that the casualties also include members of the armed forces, including senior officers.
The forum lamented that families have been torn apart, livelihoods destroyed and entire communities traumatized, warning that the long-term social consequences could be devastating.
It further highlighted the economic implications of the insecurity, particularly on agriculture, which remains the backbone of the northern economy.
According to the group, farming activities have been severely disrupted, contributing to food shortages, inflation and the collapse of rural economies.
“Insecurity is now directly undermining Nigeria’s economy. The longer the crisis persists, the more expensive it becomes to fix,” the communiqué stated.
Isaac Fayose, brother of former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has announced the death of his wife after a prolonged battle with cancer.
The social media commentator shared the sad news on Instagram with a candle image, alongside a farewell message.
“Rest in peace my darling wife, odabo oyinbo mi”, he wrote.
Before her death, Fayose had opened up about the severity of her illness.
He said he travelled to Australia to spend time with his family, but was met with a painful reality as his wife had become extremely weak due to cancer.
He explained that she was no longer able to speak or carry out basic daily activities. According to him, the woman who once welcomed him at the airport could no longer do so, and he had to make his way from the airport by Uber.
He also described how roles had reversed in the home, saying he now had to take care of her, including cooking for her, as she could no longer do so herself. He added that he spent time beside her, singing her favourite songs, while she responded only by holding his hand.
In his emotional reflection, he also spoke about life and wealth, stressing that money and material possessions could not stop illness or death, and questioned the actions of those who use public office to take what belongs to others.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that all 22 registered political parties in Nigeria have submitted their membership registers in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the submissions were completed on May 8, two days ahead of the extended deadline set by the Commission.
According to INEC, the extension became necessary after political parties raised concerns over the original timeline during a meeting held on March 24.
The Commission had initially fixed April 21 as the deadline for the submission of membership registers in the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election.
However, following consultations with political parties, INEC announced on March 27, 2026, that the deadline would be moved to May 10, 2026.
The adjustment, INEC said, was made to align with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 and the actual dates chosen by political parties for their primaries.
Under the revised timetable, political parties are permitted to conduct their primaries between April 23 and May 30, 2026. The law also requires each party to submit its membership register to the Commission not later than 21 days before the date of its primary election.
INEC stated that all registered political parties complied with the requirement within the extended timeframe.
“The Commission is pleased to note that all registered parties submitted their registers as of 8th May 2026, two days before the extended deadline,” the statement said.
The electoral body added that the submitted registers would now undergo the necessary verification processes in accordance with the law.
INEC reiterated its commitment to conducting free, fair, credible and inclusive elections in Nigeria.
According to the Commission’s timetable for the 2027 General Election, elections into the offices of President and members of the National Assembly are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and state assembly elections will take place on February 6, 2027.
Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the deputy commander of the Islamic State terrorist group, ISIS, has been killed in Nigeria.
US President Donald Trump said al-Minuki was killed in a “complex mission” carried out by Nigerian and American troops.
The US president shared updates on the operation in a social media post late Saturday.
“Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield,” Trump wrote.
“Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing.
“He will no longer terrorise the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans.
“With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished.”
Trump also acknowledged and thanked the Nigerian government for its “partnership on this operation”.
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