WorldStage– The Northern States Governors’ Forum and Northern Traditional Leaders Council are currently in an emergency meeting at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna, amid escalating security concerns across the region.
The leaders are deliberating on the surge in banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, poverty, the high rate of out-of-school children and farmer-herder clashes that have claimed hundreds of lives and displaced thousands in the region in recent months.
The leaders warned that the North stands to lose its future without urgent, decisive action.
While a detailed communiqué is yet to be released, the meeting focuses on several key areas as establishment of state police and security coordination.
Participants strongly advocate for the establishment of state police, urging the National Assembly to quickly enact the necessary constitutional and legal frameworks.
They also agree to enhance local efforts and create inter-state platforms for surveillance along shared borders and to coordinate security measures.
Additionally, they plann to collaborate with the Nigerian Governors Forum to develop methods for increasing support to federal security forces.
Addressing root causes, the governors and traditional rulers recognize that insecurity is fueled by underlying issues like underdevelopment, poverty, high unemployment, and the large number of out-of-school children.
They emphasize the importance of unity among northern states and non-partisan collaboration, alongside a call for citizens to provide information to security agencies.
The Chief of Defence Staff briefed the attendees on the military’s efforts to combat various security challenges.
Key attendees at the summit include Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State (chairman of the summit), co-host Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, the governors or their deputies from states such as Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara, Kebbi, Gombe, Nasarawa, Borno, Bauchi, Kwara, and Adamawa.
Traditional rulers led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, under the Northern Traditional Leaders Council and some security officials.
