Northern Governors, Traditional Rulers Urge Unity, Coordinated Action to Combat Insecurity, Boost Development
The Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, has urged an extraordinary level of unity, courage, and collective responsibility to confront the escalating security and socioeconomic crises threatening Northern Nigeria.
Speaking at a joint meeting of the NSGF and Northern Traditional Rulers Council in Kaduna, Governor Inuwa Yahaya highlighted the urgency of coordinated action, citing recent waves of abductions across Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Kano, Niger, and Sokoto, as well as renewed Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe. He described the situation as an existential threat to the region.
“Without peace and security, there will be no politics to play, and no state or country to govern,” he said, warning that terrorists are targeting schools and farms to cripple the North’s future.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya emphasized that the crisis transcends religion, ethnicity, and status, noting that both Muslims and Christians are victims, and the armed forces, drawn from all communities, are paying the supreme price. He stressed the importance of resisting divisive narratives designed to create discord.
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He also identified poverty, illiteracy, climate change, and weak infrastructure as underlying drivers of insecurity, stressing that durable peace requires bold investment in human capital, economic opportunities, and critical infrastructure.
A major focus of the meeting was the alarming number of out-of-school children in the North. Governor Inuwa Yahaya called the situation “a stain on our collective conscience” and urged coordinated action to ensure every child is in school and every young person is equipped for a productive future.
Reiterating the NSGF’s support for state policing, the Governor welcomed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive urging the National Assembly to expedite constitutional amendments to enable state policing, calling on legislators to prioritize the matter.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya called on all segments of society to contribute to peace and stability: traditional rulers as stabilizers, religious leaders as voices of tolerance, political leaders as developers, security agencies as proactive protectors, the judiciary as enforcers of swift justice, and citizens as partners in community safety.
He urged leaders to act decisively, saying, “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.”
In his welcome address, host Governor Sen. Uba Sani of Kaduna State described the North as being at a defining moment, emphasizing that collective will and innovative solutions are needed to tackle security, economic, and social challenges.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, also lauded the NSGF under Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s leadership, pledging the support of traditional and religious institutions to strengthen social cohesion, tackle insecurity, and improve citizen welfare.
The meeting is expected to issue a communique detailing immediate and long-term actions to restore peace, security, and development across Northern Nigeria.
Northern Governors, Traditional Rulers Urge Unity, Coordinated Action to Combat Insecurity, Boost Development