Key Points

• Northern governors freeze mining for six months and tie illegal mining to rising attacks.

• States raise N228bn annually to fund joint security operations across the North.

• Leaders back state police as kidnappings force school closures in several states.

Northern governors and traditional rulers pushed for a six-month pause on mining across the region. They linked illegal mining networks to rising violence.

They also described the pause as a step meant to block the flow of money and weapons to armed groups.

The leaders also approved a N228bn annual security fund. It will come from monthly deductions from each of the 19 northern states and their local governments.

Each state will send in N1bn every month under a joint plan that supports operations, intelligence work and coordinated responses.

These decisions appeared in a communiqué released after a meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council in Kaduna.

The move came after a fresh wave of school abductions that left families broken and pushed several states to shut down learning centers.

More than 500 students and residents have been taken from schools and communities in recent weeks. Many areas have emptied out as fear spreads.

School Attacks Trigger Closures

The attacks hit in quick succession. On November 17, armed men stormed Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State.

They took 24 students, and the vice principal died during the raid. The girls returned home days later.

Four days after that, gunmen struck St Mary’s Catholic School in the Papiri community of Niger State.

They seized 303 students and 12 teachers, a mass abduction that sent shock across the region.

Several states then shut down schools. Kebbi, Bauchi, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Plateau, Niger, Katsina and Kwara closed public and private institutions. The Federal Government also closed 41 Federal Unity Colleges.

Soon after, President Bola Tinubu announced a nationwide security emergency. He ordered the military, police and intelligence agencies to begin fresh recruitment. He also asked lawmakers to start the legal work for state policing.

Leaders Back State Police

At Monday’s meeting, governors and traditional rulers backed state police after years of resistance to the plan. Gombe Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya chaired the session.

All 19 northern governors or their deputies attended, along with the chairmen of the region’s traditional councils.

The communiqué noted full support for the creation of state police. It also urged federal and state lawmakers to fast-track the process.

The leaders argued that a decentralised system had become unavoidable.

Mining Suspension Sought to Break Criminal Networks

The governors linked illegal mining to insecurity. They said the trade offers both money and cover for armed groups.

Because of that, they urged President Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to halt mining exploration for six months and carry out a full audit of licences.

They also announced a regional Security Trust Fund to support joint operations. The structure for the fund will be released soon.

The Forum praised military operations under way in the region. It also expressed support for more strikes on insurgent hideouts.

In addition, it comforted the states hit by recent killings and abductions, including Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kano, Borno and Yobe.

Warnings From Northern Leaders

During the opening session, Yahaya warned that insecurity had reached a breaking point.

He pointed to underdevelopment, weak policing and economic hardship as long-running drivers of the crisis. He also noted that attacks on schools threaten the region’s future.

He raised concerns that the rising number of out-of-school children, including those in the Almajiri system, will keep feeding radicalisation.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, urged the governors to work in unity. He dismissed claims that the meeting was called only because of the recent attacks. According to him, the gathering had been scheduled months earlier.

He also stressed the need for cooperation between traditional rulers and state governments.

He encouraged leaders to stay open to criticism. He added that the country’s leaders need constant prayers as they confront the crisis.

NSA Visits Niger School After Mass Abduction

National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu visited St Mary’s School in Papiri, Niger State. He met the proprietor, Bishop Bulus Yohanna, and assured parents that the abducted students and teachers were safe.

He explained that Tinubu halted his travel plans to focus on the situation. Ribadu also noted that international partners such as the United States, Britain and France were offering support.

FCT Police Foil Planned Kidnap Raid

In the Federal Capital Territory, police disrupted a planned attack on a local community. Officers arrested a wanted suspect, Sani Mohammed Umar, also known as Boko.

Investigators linked him to earlier kidnappings in ACO, Dupa and Gwagwalada, along with several robberies across Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.

The Anti-Kidnapping Unit ambushed the gang, which led to a 30-minute gunfight. Three suspects died in the clash. Police recovered AK-47 rifles, magazines and ammunition.

A joint police-military team is sweeping the nearby forests to block escape routes. Hospitals received instructions to report anyone with gunshot wounds.

Sokoto Villages Face Bandit Levies

Fear is spreading in Bakale village in Kilgori district after bandits demanded a ₦20m levy from residents. An audio message circulating online captured a gang leader warning the community to pay or face attacks.

Other villages in Kilgori and Torankawa districts reportedly received similar demands. Some communities also recorded killings linked to the same gangs. Police in Sokoto have not responded to inquiries.

Ekiti, Ondo and Enugu Boost Security

In Ekiti, the state government urged residents to stay calm as attacks rise in neighbouring states. Officials pointed to increased military presence in border towns and stronger intelligence networks.

Ondo Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa unveiled a new Command and Control Centre for the Amotekun Corps. He promised more logistics and training to strengthen the group’s response to threats.

In Enugu, Governor Peter Mbah launched two long-range drones, 10 patrol vans, 40 motorcycles and protective gear to support operations in areas battling kidnapping.

Kebbi Fortifies NYSC Camp

In Kebbi, police reviewed security at the NYSC orientation camp in Basaura. The state commissioner of police warned personnel to avoid complacency.

He also held a closed-door meeting with military and government officials to update the camp’s protection plan.