The Northern Elders Forum, NEF, yesterday, claimed that the killing of 18 wedding guests from Basawa, Sabon Gari Local Government Area of Kaduna State in Quan-Pan, Plateau State, was premeditated.

According to NEF, in a statement by its spokesman, Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, the innocent citizens, including women and children, were ambushed, hacked to death and set ablaze while en route to a wedding in Quan-Pan, Plateau State.

Jiddere stated: “The Northern Elders Forum, NEF, condemns in the strongest terms the brutal massacre of innocent Nigerian travellers in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, calling the atrocity a chilling reflection of the country’s deepening security crisis and failure of leadership. “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—from Basawa, Sabon Gari Local Government Area in Kaduna State, were on their way to a wedding in Quan-Pan, Plateau State, aboard a clearly marked official vehicle of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. After losing their way, they sought help in Mangu, only to be met with savagery.

“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 local 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 is the time for uncompromising, sustained action.

“NEF also condemned what it described as “silence, tokenism, and bureaucratic lip service” in response to the tragedy, and demanded urgent and decisive action by the Federal Government to bring the perpetrators to justice and stop all forms of violence in the North and across the country. “NEF’s demands include: 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 to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. A comprehensive 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 complicity.”

NEF also expressed condolences to the victims’ families, including the people of Giwa Local Government Area and the Ahmadu Bello University community.

“NEF extends its deepest condolences. We grieve with you. We rage with you. And we stand with every Nigerian —regardless of ethnicity, faith, or region — who has suffered because those in power have failed to keep them safe.

“This moment demands courage. It demands honesty. Above all, it demands action. Enough is enough.” (Vanguard)