An update has emerged from the Monday, December 1 meeting involving the nineteen northern governors and first-class emirs and chiefs under the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House in Kaduna State.
The meeting focused on issues affecting the region, including the challenges of insecurity.
At the meeting, the Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, raised the alarm that the rising wave of insecurity across the Northern region has transformed from a localised challenge into a full-blown national threat.
Calling for urgent structural reforms in the nation’s security architecture, Yahaya insisted that the establishment of state police has become one of the most practical and effective measures for tackling the growing insecurity.
According to him, “putting up the state police remains a very critical and effective mechanism to address present security challenges facing the country.”
He argued that centralised policing no longer meets the demands of a region battling banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, farmer-herder conflicts, communal clashes and other violent crimes that have displaced thousands and stifled economic activity.
The Gombe governor linked the escalation of insecurity to a combination of socio-economic and environmental factors.
He identified underdevelopment, illiteracy, weak infrastructure, high unemployment, environmental degradation, and poor resource management as core drivers of the deadly cycle of violence in the North.
Yahaya urged leaders of the region to “make every effort to reverse the trend,” warning that failure to address the root causes would continue to undermine growth and stability.
Governor Yahaya praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as leadership interventions that recently led to the rescue of kidnapped victims in various parts of the North.
He appealed to the Federal Government not to relent until all abducted persons are safely reunited with their families.
He reaffirmed the commitment of Northern governors to work closely with the Federal Government, security agencies and local authorities, saying, “The region remains resolute to collaborate… towards securing lives and property, including school environments.”
Host governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State said Northern governors have been developing regional strategies to promote stability, safeguard communities, and enhance governance.
He noted that a peer-review mechanism was already being implemented among the governors to ensure accountability and improve service delivery.
Sani underscored the vital role of traditional institutions in promoting communal harmony, strengthening early warning systems, and guiding government decisions. He urged emirs and chiefs to “do even more” in mobilising communities against criminality.
Speaking on behalf of the royal fathers, the Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, reaffirmed the commitment of traditional rulers to support the governors in restoring peace across the region.
He stressed that good governance must remain a top priority in the region, urging governors to ensure effective and people-centred service delivery.
