The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has announced the creation of a regional security trust fund under which the 19 northern states and their LGAs will contribute a combined N1 billion monthly.
According to the forum, the fund is to be deducted at source to confront the escalating banditry, terrorism and kidnapping ravaging the region.
The decision was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a crucial joint meeting between the governors and members of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council (NTRC) in Kaduna on Monday.
The communiqué, signed by Inuwa Yahaya, the NSGF chairman and governor of Gombe, said the fund was necessary “in order to effectively confront the security crises in the north.”
“In order to effectively confront the security crises in the North, the forum resolved to set up a regional Security Trust Fund to be funded with monthly contributions of one billion naira from each state and local government to be deducted at source under a framework to be agreed upon,” the statement reads.
The governors called on President Bola Tinubu to direct Dele Alake, minister of solid minerals development, to immediately suspend all mining activities in the region for six months to enable a comprehensive audit and revalidation of licences.
They described illegal mining as “a major contributory factor” to the security crisis, accusing artisanal miners and their sponsors of funding banditry and terrorism.
The governors commended Tinubu “for leaving no stone unturned” in securing the release of some abducted schoolchildren and praised the sacrifices of security operatives battling insurgents across the country.
They reaffirmed their “wholehearted support” for the creation of state police and urged northern federal and state lawmakers to fast-track the required constitutional amendments.
“Accordingly, the forum encourages National and States Assembly Members in the region to expedite action for its actualisation,” the governors said.
“The forum observed that illegal mining has become a major contributory factor to the security crises in Northern Nigeria; the forum therefore resolved to strongly recommend to the President to direct the Hon. Minister of Solid Minerals to suspend mining exploration for a period of six months to allow proper audit.
“Subject all mining licences to revalidation for a period of six months in active consultation with the various state governors and, in the process, arrest the menace of artisanal illegal mining.”
