Prof Ango Abdullahi, chair of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), says Northern Nigeria is in crisis due to what he describes as the erosion of core values and leadership ideals. In his comments, Abdullahi links the decline in shared values to broader social and governance problems affecting the region. He argues that the loss of these principles has contributed to worsening insecurity, deepening poverty, and continued underdevelopment in Northern states. The NEF position emphasizes that leadership standards and community norms are weakening, which in turn affects how societies manage conflict, uphold responsibility, and promote development. Abdullahi’s remarks present the crisis as multi-dimensional rather than limited to one issue, tying insecurity and economic hardship to changes in moral and civic conduct. The articles report the NEF chairman’s concern that the region’s current challenges reflect a breakdown in values and leadership that must be addressed to improve conditions. The reports do not cite new statistics or specific incidents in the excerpts provided, focusing instead on the forum’s assessment of the root causes of the region’s challenges.