The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has raised alarm over the increasing attacks on truck drivers transporting goods from the North to the South-East, allegedly by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, ACF expressed deep concern over the ongoing violence, which has seen drivers killed, vehicles destroyed, and goods looted, calling it a grave threat to national security.
ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, condemned the “vicious and unprovoked attacks” against drivers of heavy-duty trucks traveling through or to the South-East, highlighting the brutal killings, vehicle burnings, and theft of cargo.
The Forum accused security agencies and the federal government of failing to take decisive action against the attackers.
“These brazen assaults are carried out by gunmen openly claiming affiliation with terror groups such as IPOB and the Eastern Security Network (ESN), targeting northerners and northern-owned properties,” the statement read.
ACF also condemned the gruesome social media posts made by the attackers, boasting about their actions and even sharing disturbing videos of their savagery, which sometimes includes burning the bodies of victims.
The statement further revealed that in the last eight years, more than 50 truck drivers have been killed and around 100 trailers set ablaze.
Recently, members of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) protested in Jos, Plateau State, to draw attention to the worsening situation.
ACF expressed its shock at the silence from both national security agencies and government authorities, urging that the violence must not be allowed to continue.
It fully supported the potential decision by NARTO and NURTW to suspend the transportation of goods to and from the South-East until the attacks are halted.
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The Forum extended condolences to the families of the victims and called on both federal and state governments, as well as security agencies, to act swiftly to end the violence.
It emphasised the need for those responsible for the attacks to be brought to justice, advocating for a state of emergency to be declared on the matter.
In its final remarks, ACF criticized the indifference of South-East elites, politicians, and socio-cultural groups, urging them to move beyond lip service and take concrete actions to address the crisis.
The Forum also called on the governments of Enugu and Imo states to compensate the victims and their families for the lives lost, injuries sustained, and goods destroyed in the attacks.
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