Northern Governors Commit N1bn Monthly To Fight Insecurity

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule says northern governors have taken firm decisions to tackle insecurity, including contributing N1bn each every month for a year and pushing for a temporary halt of mining activities across the region.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Sule said the governors can no longer rely on the federal government alone, explaining that insecurity has reached a point where the region must “take it upon ourselves” to act.

“You know, that is N19bn every month until we are able to achieve that. And we are going to introduce technology and whatever we are doing, we are going to hire our own vigilante, get them more trained, get the equipment, get the logistics and all it takes.” Sule said.

Sule who spoke on the outcome of the meeting in Kaduna, said the governors discussed the link between mining and insecurity.

THE WHISTLER reports that the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Leaders Council convened at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna for a meeting, amid escalating security challenges across the region.

Speaking, Sule said because mining is controlled by the Federal Government, they resolved to ask the President to stop all mining activities until proper verification of mining licences is done.

“That is why we said that a lot of these mining licenses that I give up, some of them I just don’t know are Exploration licenses. But people go ahead and start mining straight away, you know, and then that’s where illegal mining comes in. So that is the reason why we also introduced that.” he said.

He added that the forum appointed former secretary to Plateau state government, Ezekiel Gomos as Director-General to lead a team that will drive the new security plans adding that illegal mining attracts criminals because people try to make quick money from minerals like lead, zinc and lithium without investing anything.

He said this rush creates opportunities for criminals to operate around mining sites. He stated that in Nasarawa, illegal mining had become widespread, which led to a bill requiring anyone caught with minerals to be prosecuted within the state.

He also mentioned that situations differ across the North, citing the Zamfara state governor who described gold-mining areas as dangerous and full of suspicious activities, including claims of helicopters visiting the sites.

Sule argued that suspending licences would allow authorities to deploy technology to monitor such areas, something that is difficult to do when miners claim to have valid licences.

“Mining site is usually a criminal site, especially illegal mining,” he said.

On abductions, Sule pushed back against claims that northern leaders have failed, saying people often make statements out of anger without knowing the pressure governors face daily.

“You can’t run a government based on what people say on the streets,” he said, adding that northern leaders are doing their best and even argue among themselves because “everyone is worried” about insecurity.

He said kidnapping is not new to Nigeria, reminding viewers that between 2003 and 2009, most kidnappings happened in the oil-rich South-South.

According to him, kidnapping only spread to the North in recent years and will also “come to an end,” the same way it reduced in the oil region over time.

Reacting to breaking news that 100 kidnapped children from Niger State had been rescued, Sule described it as “cheery news” and congratulated President Tinubu, the Niger State governor and the parents.

“The real goal is not just rescuing kidnapped children but preventing such attacks from happening at all. The northern governors, the federal government and security agencies are working round the clock, even if the public does not see all the efforts,” he said.

Sule also confirmed that the Nigerian Governors Forum has agreed to support the bill for special seats for women in the National Assembly.

He said Nasarawa has already taken the lead by appointing women to top positions, including the first female vice-chancellor of the state university, the first female chief judge and several female directors.

Speaking on the recent Nyanya–Mararaba road to be constructed, he said Nasarawa has secured federal approval to construct the road with flyovers.

According to him, the road is expected to be completed in 16-18 months but they are working on it to be completed in 12 – 14 months.

He said the project will cost about N40bn, and the state has already paid N19bn as deposit adding that without recent federal revenue reforms, “there is no way a state like Nasarawa will jump up” and fund such a massive project.