A public commentator, Mahdi Shehu, has described Northern Nigeria as a “land of the living dead,” raising concerns over the state of the region.

Shehu made the remark on Saturday on his official X handle.

He painted a grim picture of a population he said is alive but unable to respond to the challenges around them.

According to him, many people in the region are living in fear and confusion due to insecurity and hardship.

“The current inhabitants of Northern Nigeria are alive but dead,” he said.

He added that people have become traumatised, afraid and unable to confront reality.

He noted that this has weakened their ability to demand change.

Shehu also criticised leadership in the region, saying there is a lack of credible direction and accountability.

He blamed what he described as compromised elites and weak traditional institutions for failing to protect the people and provide guidance.

The commentator further said that citizens themselves have become passive, allowing the situation to worsen.

“They are spineless, visionless, planless and have been reduced into a priceless laughing stock. All these things are possible because they have no credible leadership, with compromised elites and cowardly traditional Institutions, docile citizens, all together surrounded by the venoms of envy, hate, greed and man’s inhumanity to man,” he wrote.

“RIP NORTHERN NIGERIA. Imams and priest are not available for burial because most of them are standing on a mandate.”