Insecurity: North must act now or lose it, northern governors warn

Northern governors, on Monday, sounded a stern warning that the region was on the brink of losing its future to escalating insecurity and deepening poverty unless leaders take urgent, decisive action.

Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, NSGF, and Gombe State governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, said this at a joint meeting of the Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council in Kaduna.

Yahaya said the North is today confronted with “the grim reality of insecurity and poverty that seeks to undermine our very existence”.

The two-day meeting, held at the Kaduna State Government House, drew 19 governors, traditional rulers, security chiefs and civil society representatives in what was described as a final push for a coordinated response to terrorism, banditry and social decay in the region.

Governor Yahaya said future generations will judge today’s leaders not by the number of projects they commission, but by whether they are able to “bequeath to them a Northern Nigeria they can truly call home.”

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He paid tribute to President Bola Tinubu, commending his “strong leadership and steadfast commitment to Nigeria’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” especially in the rescue efforts for abducted schoolchildren.

The governor extended condolences to families of pupils abducted in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Kano, Niger and Sokoto states, as well as victims of recent Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe. He insisted that attacks on education — “the bedrock of our children’s future” — are an assault on the region’s destiny.

Warning that insecurity “spares no one — poor or rich, Muslim or Christian,” Yahaya urged an end to partisan bickering and a united stand to “ensure the very survival of the north and Nigeria at large.”

He also called for the rejection of divisive narratives, saying the crisis is driven not only by crime but also by underdevelopment, illiteracy, poor resource management, climate change and the abandonment of millions of Almajiri and out-of-school children.

Topping the agenda was a renewed call for the establishment of state police. Reaffirming the May 10, 2025, communique of the NSGF, the governors said state policing remains “a critical and effective mechanism” to address today’s security challenges and urged the National Assembly to fast-track constitutional amendments required to make it a reality.

Traditional rulers were tasked to deploy their influence as “stabilizers,” while religious leaders were urged to preach tolerance and avoid incendiary rhetoric. Political leaders, the forum warned, must desist from exploiting ethnic or religious differences for political gains.

Security agencies were encouraged to maintain proactive surveillance and timely responses, while the judiciary was called upon to ensure swift criminal justice delivery.

In a joint declaration, the governors pledged to work closely with the Federal Government under President Tinubu “to turn the tide and ensure lasting peace and stability for our region and the nation at large.”