Arewa Defence League Issues Kaduna October Declaration, Warns of “Polycrisis” in Northern Nigeria

The Arewa Defence League (ADL) on Wednesday unveiled what it called a historic charter for Northern Nigeria, declaring that the region is gripped by a dangerous “polycrisis” of insecurity, economic collapse, political exclusion, and social decay.

The announcement, tagged the Kaduna October Declaration on the Rights of the People of Northern Nigeria, followed a strategy seminar at Arewa House, Kaduna. According to ADL, the document was the product of extensive consultations with experts, state coordinators, and stakeholders across the 19 Northern states.

Presenting the declaration, ADL President Murtala Abubakar said it was time for the North to “chart a path toward a renaissance” within the Nigerian federation, noting that the social contract between the Nigerian state and its Northern citizens had been “gravely weakened.”

“Northern Nigeria does not face isolated problems but a web of interconnected crises,” Abubakar stressed. “There has been a near-total collapse of state control over violence, an economy in freefall, public services in decline, and an elite class shielded from accountability. This is not sustainable.”

The declaration highlighted widespread insecurity, with insurgency, banditry, kidnappings, and communal clashes turning villages and highways into danger zones. It described the region as “under siege” and accused the federal government of losing its monopoly on violence.

On the economy, ADL argued that despite contributing significantly to the federation’s resources, the North had received little in return. Corruption, failed policies, and neglect, it said, had devastated agriculture, stifled business growth, and left millions of youths jobless.

The group also lamented the high number of out-of-school children, failing healthcare, and crumbling infrastructure, warning that “an entire generation risks being left behind.” It accused Northern political elites of perpetuating impunity and deepening exclusion at the national level.

Although the declaration stopped short of advocating secession, Abubakar insisted that “all options must remain on the table” if the Nigerian state continued to fail. “We are not calling for separation, but we cannot dismiss it as a possibility,” he said.

Instead, the ADL called for a transformative renewal of Nigeria’s social contract, rooted in liberty, equality, and the sovereignty of the people. “No authority is valid unless it derives directly from the people’s consent,” the group stated.

As follow-up, the ADL announced plans to convene a Northern stakeholders’ conference, draft detailed policy documents on governance, economy, and alliances, and launch a voter education campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“We will not remain spectators while others decide our fate,” Abubakar declared. “The era of empty words is over. The time to act is now.”