Northern governors on Monday issued a grave warning that the region risks losing an entire generation to worsening insecurity and entrenched poverty unless urgent, coordinated action is taken.
The caution was delivered by the Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, during a joint session of the Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council in Kaduna.
Yahaya noted that the North is facing “a grim reality of insecurity and poverty that seeks to undermine our very existence,” stressing that the stakes have never been higher for the region’s stability and future.
The two-day gathering at the Kaduna Government House brought together 19 governors, traditional rulers, security chiefs and civil society leaders for what was described as a crucial attempt to forge a unified response to terrorism, banditry and deepening social crises.
Yahaya told participants that future generations would judge current leaders not by the projects they inaugurate but by whether they are able to “bequeath to them a Northern Nigeria they can truly call home.”
He commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as strong leadership, particularly in recent rescue operations involving abducted schoolchildren. He also extended condolences to families affected by kidnappings in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Kano, Niger and Sokoto, as well as those impacted by Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe.
Highlighting the frightening trend of attacks on schools, Yahaya said assaults on education — “the bedrock of our children’s future” — amount to an attack on the region’s destiny.
He stressed that insecurity “spares no one — poor or rich, Muslim or Christian,” urging political actors to abandon partisan divisions and unite to safeguard the North and the country as a whole.
The governor further called for confronting underlying factors driving the crisis, including underdevelopment, illiteracy, poor resource management, climate change and the growing population of Almajiri and out-of-school children.
A major item on the agenda was the renewed push for the creation of state police. Reaffirming their May 10, 2025 resolution, the governors insisted that state policing offers “a critical and effective mechanism” for dealing with today’s security threats and urged the National Assembly to expedite necessary constitutional amendments.
Traditional rulers were encouraged to use their influence to stabilise their communities, while religious leaders were advised to promote tolerance and avoid statements that could heighten tensions. The Forum also warned political figures to stop exploiting ethnic and religious divides.
Security agencies were urged to step up surveillance and maintain quick response strategies, while the judiciary was pressed to ensure swift handling of criminal cases.
In their joint declaration, the governors pledged cooperation 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.”
