Northern governors have raised alarm that the North risks losing its future to escalating insecurity and deepening poverty unless immediate and decisive action is taken.
Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, issued the warning on Monday during a joint meeting of the NSGF and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council in Kaduna.
Yahaya said the region is confronted with “the grim reality of insecurity and poverty that seeks to undermine our very existence,” stressing that future generations will judge leaders not by projects commissioned, but by whether they preserved a Northern Nigeria “they can truly call home.”
The two-day meeting brought together 19 governors, traditional rulers, security chiefs, and civil society groups to fashion a coordinated response to terrorism, banditry, and social decay.
Governor Yahaya commended President Bola Tinubu for his “strong leadership and steadfast commitment to Nigeria’s security,” particularly in the rescue of abducted schoolchildren. He extended condolences to families affected by abductions in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Kano, Niger, and Sokoto, as well as victims of Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe.
Describing attacks on schools as an assault on the region’s future, Yahaya warned that insecurity “spares no one — poor or rich, Muslim or Christian.” He urged leaders to rise above political divisions and confront drivers of the crisis, including underdevelopment, illiteracy, poor resource management, climate change, and the abandonment of millions of Almajiri and out-of-school children.
A major focus of the meeting was the renewed push for state police. The governors reaffirmed their May 10, 2025, communiqué, insisting that state policing is “a critical and effective mechanism” for tackling current security threats, and urged the National Assembly to expedite the needed constitutional amendments.
Traditional rulers were urged to use their influence to promote stability, while religious leaders were reminded to preach tolerance and avoid inflammatory rhetoric. The forum also cautioned politicians against exploiting ethnic or religious differences.
Security agencies were advised to step up proactive surveillance and rapid response efforts, while the judiciary was encouraged 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 in and stability for our region and the nation at large.”
