Nigeria drifting into chaos amid poverty, insecurity—Northern group
The Arewa Dignity Advancement Initiative (ArDA) has called for urgent, innovative solutions to address what it considered as “unbearable” hardships facing Northern Nigerians, citing inflation, unemployment, insecurity, and governance failures.
In a statement signed by Chairperson of the group, Hajiya Baheejah Mahmood and Secretary Abubakar Muhammad, ArDA decried escalating banditry, terrorism, and economic neglect.
It warned that fuel subsidy removal, debt accumulation, and new taxes without welfare support are pushing the region to unprecedented hardship.
“While one region benefits from trillions in projects, agriculture, the North’s lifeline is ignored. Citizens are taxed aggressively with no redistribution,” the group said, highlighting increased poverty, market distortions, and inequality.
ArDA urged the federal and state governments to act, stressing that the North faces economic manipulation, agricultural decline, and deliberate marginalization.
“This is not accidental—it’s mismanagement,” the statement added.
The group advocated prayers for divine intervention, accountability in public spending, and policies to boost food production, education, and infrastructure.
“The North can rise again—with the right leadership,” it affirmed.
ArDA’s pledges include defending dignity, empowering youth, supporting farmers, and advocating justice.
“Governments must curb regional disparities to prevent a ‘two-states-in-one’ Nigeria,” it further warned.
