Northern Governors Want ‘Mining Exploration’ Suspended, Back State Police

The Northern States Governors’ Forum has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals Development to suspend mining exploration in the region for a period of six months to allow for a proper audit in consultation with the various state governors.

The Forum said it had observed that illegal mining had become a significant contributing factor to the security crises in Northern Nigeria.

In a communiqué read by the Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, after the joint Northern States Governors’ Forum and Northern Traditional Rulers Council meeting held in Kaduna on Monday, the Forum said it had set up a regional Security Trust Fund to be funded with a monthly contribution of N1 billion from each state and local government, to be deducted at source under a framework to be agreed upon.

Parts of the communiqué read: “At this pivotal juncture in our history, we recognise that only through unity, peer review and cooperation can we overcome the pressing challenges before us. Accordingly, we reaffirm our resolve to confront these challenges with firmness and clarity to fulfil our constitutional responsibility.”

The communiqué conveyed the Northern Governors’ sympathies to the governments and people of Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kano States following the recent killings and abductions of schoolchildren and other innocent citizens, as well as to the victims of the Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe States.

The Forum also commended the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for leaving no stone unturned in ensuring the prompt release of some of the abducted children and in handling other security challenges. It equally commended the sacrifices of servicemen in uniform who continue to battle various forms of violent insurgency across the country.

The governors added: “Consequently, the Forum resolved to renew its support for every step to be taken by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, in taking the fight against insurgents to their enclave to bring an end to the criminality.

“The Forum reaffirms its wholehearted support and commitment to the establishment of State Police. Accordingly, the Forum encourages National and State Assembly members in the region to expedite action for its actualisation,” the communiqué said.

Governors: State Police Will Tackle North’s Worsening Security Challenges

The Northern States Governors’ Forum has reiterated its total support for state police, describing it as an essential tool in tackling the North’s worsening security challenges.

Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent directive urging the National Assembly to fast-track the constitutional amendments needed to make state police a reality.

Yahaya called for unity, courage and collective responsibility to confront the deepening security and socio-economic crises threatening the North.

Speaking at the joint Northern States Governors’ Forum and Northern Traditional Rulers Council meeting held in Kaduna, Governor Inuwa Yahaya urged governors to come together urgently to safeguard the region’s future.

Yahaya, who decried the recent waves of abductions in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi and Kano, as well as renewed Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe, said the recent security threats showed that insecurity in the North has mutated from isolated violence into a national and existential threat.

The Forum’s Chairman, while condoling with the affected families and governments, hailed President Tinubu for the swift release of some abducted schoolchildren.

He warned that terrorists were deliberately attacking schools and farms to cripple the region’s future, while reaffirming the Forum’s support for the ongoing rescue efforts.

“Without peace and security, there will be no politics to play, and no state or country to govern,” he said.

“Our people, Muslims and Christians alike, are victims of this violence. Our armed forces, drawn from every tribe and faith, are paying the supreme price. We must resist narratives that promote discord. That is exactly what our enemies want,” he said.

He urged an end to partisan politics and a “concerted action to ensure the very survival of the North and Nigeria at large.”

“We must not allow our enemies to sow discord and distrust amongst us,” Yahaya added, calling for a rejection of “simplistic, divisive and one-sided narratives.”

Speaking on out-of-school children, Yahaya urged Northern leaders to take coordinated and decisive action to reverse the trend, saying: “We must move beyond rhetoric. Every child must be in school, and every young person must be equipped for a productive future.”

Traditional rulers were asked to act as “stabilisers” using their moral authority, while religious leaders were called upon to promote tolerance and shun incitement.

Political leaders were warned against exploiting ethnic or religious divisions for political gain.

Security agencies were urged to maintain “proactive vigilance” and swift interventions, and the judiciary was encouraged to ensure the rapid administration of criminal justice.

The governors made a joint declaration pledging their “collective resolve 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.”

Governor Yahaya appealed for resolve, insisting that future generations will judge today’s leaders not by the number of projects commissioned but by whether they succeeded in restoring peace and stability to the North.

“Now is not the time for politics; it is the time to ensure the very survival of the North and Nigeria at large. Let this meeting be remembered as a turning point, one that brought safety, hope and prosperity to our people,” he said.

Earlier, in his welcome address, the host and Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, noted that the North is facing security, economic and social challenges that demand collective will and innovative solutions.

In his remarks, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, lauded the Forum for its renewed commitment to addressing the challenges confronting the North.

The Sultan, who is also the Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, stated that the region’s traditional and religious institutions support the Forum’s efforts aimed at addressing insecurity and resolving other problems facing the region.

Governors who attended the joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council included Uba Sani (Kaduna), Umar Bago (Niger), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara) and Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), among others.