ACF warns that Nigeria's security and economic problems, if untamed, could lead to social chaos.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has decried the escalation of insecurity in the three northern regions of Nigeria.
According to the socio-political group, these problems reflect the region's political, social, and economic challenges.
The group stated this in a communique issued on Tuesday by its spokesperson, T. A. Muhammad-Baba, after a meeting of its National Executive Committee (NEC) in Kaduna.
It said the NEC reiterates ACF's position that the problems, if untamed, could lead to social chaos.
The meeting acknowledged the efforts of the government at all levels towards tackling the identified challenges.
It, however, lamented that perhaps due to the quantum and widening dimension of the problems, the public policy response to the problems remains weak and ineffective at best.
"Equally worrisome is the widening regional disparities in social demographic factors, such as access to education, health public infrastructure, economic inclusion, political participation, living conditions, etc.
"Governments must move to curb such disparities so as to ensure that Nigeria does not become two states in one.
"Factors that unify rather than divide citizens along any lines should attract the attention of all concerned, government and citizens alike.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"As it has severally reiterated in recent public outings, ACF calls for urgent action and definitive attention by the government at all levels to confront the rapid decline in living conditions of citizens.
"The addition of new taxes and levies becoming increasingly burdensome, too heavy to bear for ordinary Nigerians.
"ACF calls on citizens to rally around the government and offer prayers for God Almighty's intervention in our various tribulations such as will translate into a new, prosperous Nigeria where justice, equity, love, righteousness, and hope emerge to replace the current despair and hopelessness.
"To inspire the spirit of needed sacrifices by citizens, ACF calls on public functionaries to shun profligacy and recklessness in spending public funds," the communique reads.
The forum also expressed its support for security agents in their efforts to rid the country of criminality, insecurity, and instability and prayed that they very soon prevail over insurgents, terrorists, and bandits.
For years, Nigeria's northern region has been under attack by terrorists, locally known as bandits.
