Due to security challenges bedeviling the Northern region, Governors of the 19 Northern States and traditional rulers of the region are meeting in Kaduna over the issue.
At their last meeting on Nov. 2, 2020, the Northern Governors had set up two committees to push for statutory roles for traditional rulers and another on youth and civil societies.
In a message to the two-day meeting, which opened on Thursday at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House Kaduna, President Muhammadu Buhari by his Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari commended the Northern Governor’s Forum for their efforts to contain the challenges of not only the region, but the nation.
Buhari regretted the spate of banditry, Kidnapping, Insurgency and other crimes in the region, pointing out that Government will continue to confront those challenges that constitute a threat to the country.
“The Forum should use the platform for reflection and dialogue and deliberate frankly on problems facing the region.
“The forum should ensure stronger collaboration of security architecture on how best to defeat those challenges”, he added.
Chairman of the Northern Governor’s Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong described the meeting as crucial for the development of the region, saying underdevelopment as the heaviest burden of the region.
“Insecurity has become a clog in the wheel of progress in the zone, the forum will continue to engage stakeholders to address the myriad of challenges facing the Northern States”, he said.
Lalong cautioned leaders against hate comments advised that Farmer Herders crisis be addressed with an open mind devoid of sentiments.
Governor, Nasir El Rufai who hosts the meeting said “The northern states are especially affected by these tensions and challenges. In many of our states, criminal elements are wrecking the rural economy, driving our farmers from their fields, threatening lives and livelihoods and putting food security at risk. Communal tensions persist in some places, setting up ethnicity and religion as sources of conflict”.
“We shall be considering the reports of committees we charged last year to propose measures on security, regional economic development, youth engagement and how to better involve our traditional institutions in governance that will contribute in making our region better”, he added.
Those attending the meeting include Senate President, Ahmad Lawal, Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Monguno, Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Ibrahim and Director General, State Security Service, Yusuf Bichi.
Governors at the meeting, holding at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, include those of Plateau, Adamawa, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Jigawa and Katsina, while Niger, Zamfara, Yobe, Benue, Kogi, Kabbi were represented by Deputy Governors of the states, among others.
There were goodwill messages from the Sultan of Sokoto, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Arewa consultative Forum and the Northern Elders Forum.
The participants are expected to discuss current security challenges bedeviling the Northern region and youth unemployment.
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