By Our Senior Correspondent
The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) on Monday announced the establishment of a landmark Regional Security Trust Fund to be financed with a monthly contribution of N1 billion from each of the 19 northern states, as part of sweeping measures to confront worsening insecurity across the region.
The decision was contained in a communiqué read by the Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, after a joint meeting of the Northern Governors and the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.
Governor Yahaya, speaking on behalf of his colleagues, said the governors had reached a critical point where bold, collective action had become unavoidable. “At this pivotal juncture in our history, we recognise that only through unity, peer review and cooperation can we overcome the pressing challenges before us. We are determined to confront these challenges with firmness and clarity,” he said.
He announced that the new Security Trust Fund would be jointly financed by state and local governments, with deductions made at source under a framework to be finalised. The fund, he said, would serve as a coordinated regional strategy to support security operations, improve intelligence, and equip frontline personnel battling insurgency, banditry and other violent crimes.
The governors and traditional rulers also expressed deep concern over recent killings and mass abductions in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kano States, as well as Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe. They extended heartfelt condolences to affected families and state governments.
Governor Yahaya further commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as the Federal Government’s “unrelenting efforts” to secure the release of abducted schoolchildren and confront insurgency nationwide. “We renew our support for every step taken by the President and Commander-in-Chief to take the fight to the enclaves of insurgents,” he said.
- In another major resolution, the Forum reaffirmed its full support for the establishment of state police, urging lawmakers from the region at both state and federal levels to fast-track the necessary constitutional processes.
The communiqué also highlighted the growing menace of illegal mining, which the Forum identified as a significant driver of insecurity. To address this, the governors resolved to strongly recommend that President Tinubu direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to suspend mining activities for six months to allow for a comprehensive audit, with all existing mining licences subject to revalidation during the period.
The meeting, which was attended by governors of all 19 northern states and chairmen of the region’s traditional councils, ended with an agreement to reconvene at a later date to review progress on the resolutions.
