The Northern Elders Forum (NEF), on Tuesday, condemned the brutal killing of innocent travellers in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State and called on the Federal Government to take urgent action to address the growing insecurity in the country.

The forum described the atrocity as a chilling reflection of Nigeria’s worsening security crisis and a glaring failure of leadership.

In a statement by NEF’s spokesperson, Professor Abubakar Jika Jiddere, the group said it was “shaken to its core” by the premeditated slaughter of 18 citizens, including women and children, who were ambushed, hacked to death, and set ablaze while en route to a wedding in Quan-Pan, Plateau State.

Jiddere said: “This premeditated atrocity is not only a crime against humanity but a stark indictment of a nation losing its grip on the most basic duty of governance, the protection of human life.”

According to credible reports, the victims, ordinary citizens, including women and children, hailed from Basawa, Sabon Gari Local Government Area in Kaduna State, and were on their way to a wedding in Quan-Pan, Plateau State, aboard a marked official vehicle of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. After losing their way, they sought help in Mangu, only to be met with savagery.

Jiddere added, “They were ambushed, hacked down, and burned alive in what can only be described as a merciless, calculated act of terror. Of the eighteen aboard, only two survived, rescued by the courage of a single resident.

“Let us be clear: this was not a case of mistaken identity. It was not random. It was an act of evil. In any functioning society, a marked official vehicle carrying unarmed civilians, particularly women and children, would be seen as sacrosanct. That such a group could be slaughtered in cold blood speaks volumes about the depths of hate, lawlessness, and moral decay festering in parts of our nation.

“This tragedy is part of a much darker narrative, one where the Northern region of Nigeria is bleeding daily from unchecked violence. In the North West, villages are emptied and lives stolen through mass abductions and killings.

“In the North East, terror persists. In the North Central, random killings and kidnappings have become routine. What was once sporadic unrest has mutated into systemic terror, thriving under the shadow of impunity and governmental inertia.

“The Northern Elders Forum categorically rejects silence, tokenism, or bureaucratic lip service. This is not the time for vague promises. It’s the time for uncompromising, sustained action.”

The Forum rejected what it called “silence, tokenism, and bureaucratic lip service” in response to the tragedy, insisting that only uncompromising action could stem the tide of violence.

NEF demanded the “immediate arrest, public prosecution, and uncompromising punishment of all those responsible for the Mangu massacre. Justice must be swift and public.

“Accountability from the Plateau State Government and all relevant security agencies, including restitution to the victims’ families and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
“A federal security overhaul, not symbolic redeployments, but a real, strategic, and well-funded campaign to reclaim the North from bandits, terrorists, and killers.

Massive deployment of trained security personnel and intelligence assets to violence-ridden regions across Northern Nigeria.

“Clear timelines, measurable outcomes, and public accountability from the Federal Government. Enough with empty reassurances. The North is tired of burying its dead.
“This country is bleeding, and it is bleeding from the North. The obligation to protect life and restore order is not a favour the government grants, it is a constitutional imperative. Failure to act now is not just negligence. It is complicated.”

The Forum extended deep condolences to the bereaved families, the people of Giwa LGA, and the Ahmadu Bello University community, assuring them of its unwavering support.