Northern governors have issued a stark warning on Monday that the region risks losing an entire generation to violent crime and growing poverty unless leaders move quickly and with resolve. The alarm was raised in Kaduna during a joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, attended by all nineteen governors or their representatives, traditional rulers, security chiefs and members of civil society.
Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Yahaya, said the North now faces a harsh landscape shaped by worsening insecurity and deepening deprivation. He noted that the true measure of leadership will not lie in the number of physical projects completed, but in whether today’s decisions can secure a stable and safe home for the young people of the region.
The meeting held at the Kaduna Government House opened with condolences to families affected by recent waves of abductions in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Kano, Niger and Sokoto, along with victims of Boko Haram violence in Borno and Yobe. Yahaya stressed that attacks on schools strike at the heart of the region’s future and must be treated as an assault on its long-term survival.
Read Also:
- Northern Governors hold emergency security meeting in Kaduna as kidnapping crisis deepens
- Northern governors condemn deadly attack on travelers in Edo
- Northern governors mourn victims of Dikko fuel tanker explosion
He praised President Bola Tinubu for his resolve in security matters and his support for ongoing rescue operations. At the same time, he called for unity among political, religious and traditional leaders, warning that insecurity touches every community and should never be used for partisan gain. He urged the rejection of narratives that divide communities, saying the crisis is linked to long-standing problems such as underdevelopment, illiteracy, weak resource management, climate pressures and the growing population of out-of-school children.
A major subject of discussion was the renewed push for state police. The Forum reaffirmed its earlier position that state policing offers a practical tool for confronting today’s threats and encouraged the National Assembly to advance the constitutional changes needed to establish it.
Traditional rulers were encouraged to use their authority to help stabilize their communities, while religious leaders were reminded of their responsibility to promote moderation. Security agencies were urged to stay ahead of emerging threats, and the judiciary was asked to speed up the handling of criminal cases to restore public confidence.
In their closing statement, the governors pledged to work with the Federal Government to reverse the current tide and secure lasting peace across the region.
SEO keywords: Northern governors insecurity
Synonyms: Kaduna security meeting, NSGF Kaduna, Northern Nigeria poverty, state police Nigeria, school abductions North, Muhammadu Yahaya speech, traditional rulers Northern Nigeria, banditry crisis North.
