An international coalition of diplomats, security analysts, humanitarian workers and faith leaders has called for an independent judicial investigation into Nigeria’s national security architecture, warning that alleged ethno-religious bias in emerging paramilitary initiatives could deepen the country’s worsening humanitarian and security crises.

 

The call followed a high-level virtual conference convened on December 20, 2025  by the International Peace and Development Initiative (IPDI), titled “The Future of Nigeria”, which examined escalating violence, mass displacement, and the federal government’s evolving counter-insurgency strategies.

 

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, participants expressed “grave concern” over what they described as the failure of state protection mechanisms amid rising terrorism, banditry and communal violence, particularly in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and parts of the North.

 

Central to the deliberations was the federal government’s Presidential Forest Guards Initiative, coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). 

 

While the government has described the initiative as a necessary response to ungoverned forest spaces used by criminal groups, conference participants raised concerns about the transparency of its recruitment and deployment processes.

 

The communique specifically called for a judicial inquiry into the actions of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, over allegations that individuals of Fulani extraction were being armed and deployed as forest guards without adequate oversight.

 

“Credible reports and recent interceptions of armed personnel in Kwara State suggest serious gaps in transparency, vetting, and accountability,” the communiqué stated, adding that any perception of ethnic or religious favoritism could further erode public trust in Nigeria’s security institutions.

 

The coalition emphasised that it was not opposed to innovative security measures but warned that “national security is compromised when specific ethnic interests are perceived to be prioritised over a neutral, professional security framework.”

 

Efforts to obtain an official response from the Office of the National Security Adviser were ongoing at the time of filing this report.

 

Humanitarian experts at the conference painted a dire picture of Nigeria’s displacement crisis.

 

 Dr. Mike Arnold, a humanitarian worker who said he has conducted more than 16 missions to Nigeria, argued that official estimates significantly understate the scale of displacement.

 

“While government figures place internally displaced persons at about four million, evidence from host communities suggests the real number could be closer to 12 million. 

 

“ Citing unregistered displaced persons living outside formal IDP camp,” he said. 

 

Participants noted that Christian communities in parts of the Middle Belt have borne a disproportionate share of attacks and displacement, though they stressed that all vulnerable populations were affected by the insecurity.

 

The communiqué outlined five key recommendations directed at both Nigerian authorities and international partners:

 

An immediate, biometric-supported census of all displaced persons to unlock humanitarian funding and ensure equitable aid distribution.

 

 

An independent audit of recruitment and deployment procedures for the Forest Guards initiative to ensure compliance with Nigeria’s Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act and guarantee multi-ethnic representation.

 

 

Legal reforms to establish a clear framework for lawful community-based protection, preventing selective vigilante arrangements while ensuring equal security for all citizens.

 

A joint investigation with international partners, including the U.S.–Nigeria Joint Working Group, to identify and prosecute financiers and facilitators of terror networks operating in Nigeria and the wider Sahel.

 

Adoption of what the conference termed an “Issachar Leadership Model,” emphasising foresight, moral responsibility, and commitment to the common good across government and civil society.

 

The conference was presided over by Dr. Chris Gankon, who warned that Nigeria was approaching a critical tipping point.

 

“Nigeria stands at a precipice where state authority risks being replaced by unregulated security arrangements that may intensify existing communal divisions,” he said.

 

Participants urged the international community to move from what they described as “passive observation” to “active accountability,” warning that continued inaction could lead to a large-scale humanitarian collapse in Africa’s most populous nation.

 

Despite the stark warnings, the coalition said Nigeria retains “immense strategic importance and potential,” provided urgent reforms are undertaken to rebuild trust between the state and its citizens.

 

The IPDI said the communiqué reflected the collective resolutions of conference participants and was issued “in the spirit of constructive national dialogue and global responsibility.