ACF Condemns Attacks on Northern Truck Drivers in South-East, Supports Boycott

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has raised alarm over the continued attacks on truck drivers transporting goods from the North to the South-East, allegedly carried out by suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The group described the killings of drivers and destruction of vehicles as a grave threat to national security, warning that such actions could lead to lawlessness and anarchy.

In a statement released on Tuesday, ACF National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, expressed concern that drivers of heavy-duty trucks were facing what he called “vicious and unprovoked attacks.” These incidents, he said, often resulted in the murder of drivers, burning of vehicles, and looting of goods.

The ACF accused security agencies and the federal government of failing to curb the attacks, stating that the perpetrators openly claim affiliation with terror groups like IPOB and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN). According to the statement, these attackers specifically target northerners and their property, sometimes even posting videos of their actions on social media. It alleged that in some cases, the attackers go as far as burning the corpses of their victims.

The statement also referenced a recent protest by members of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Jos, Plateau State, where demonstrators highlighted the ongoing violence. The ACF claimed that over the past eight years, more than 50 drivers and about 100 trailers have been burned in such attacks.

The group expressed deep disappointment over what it described as the silence of security agencies and the lack of action from both federal and state governments. It stated that no individual or group should be allowed to carry out acts of murder, looting, arson, and vandalism against innocent citizens. Given the continued violence, ACF fully backed NARTO and NURTW’s proposed boycott of goods transportation to and from the South-East until the situation is controlled.

ACF also extended its condolences to the families of the victims and urged authorities to take immediate steps to end the attacks. The forum demanded that perpetrators be brought to justice and called for a state of emergency to address the crisis. Additionally, it criticized the South-East elite, politicians, and socio-cultural groups for their silence, urging them to take a stand against the violence.

In a final demand, ACF called on the governments of Enugu and Imo states to fully compensate victims for lives lost, injuries sustained, and goods destroyed in the attacks.