Governors of the 19 Northern states on Monday threw their weight behind the creation of State Police and called for a six month suspension of mining activities as part of urgent measures to curb the worsening insecurity in the region.
The resolutions were reached at a joint meeting of the Northern States Governors Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.
Chairman of the forum and Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya, who read the communiqué, said the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to unity, regional stability and collective development in the face of rising security threats.
The forum expressed deep condolences to the governments and people of Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kano states over recent killings and abductions, particularly of schoolchildren. Sympathy was also extended to victims of Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe states.
The governors commended President Bola Tinubu for the swift rescue of some abducted children and praised security agencies for their sacrifices in ongoing counter insurgency operations. They pledged renewed support for intensified military action against insurgents and criminal elements.
As a major resolution, the forum reaffirmed total support for the establishment of State Police and urged federal and state lawmakers to fast track the required legislative process.
Illegal mining was identified as a major driver of insecurity. The governors recommended that mining activities be suspended for six months to allow for a comprehensive audit and revalidation of licences in collaboration with state governments.
They also approved the creation of a Regional Security Trust Fund, with each state and its local governments contributing one billion naira monthly to strengthen security operations across the North.
The forum said another meeting would be convened at a later date.
