The northern leaders also announced plans to mobilise N228bn to fight bandits terrorising communities across the region.
Under the arrangement, each state and its local governments will contribute N1bn monthly, to be deducted at source under an agreed framework.
This means that the 19 northern states will raise N228bn annually.
They said the fund would provide sustainable financing for joint operations, intelligence-driven interventions and coordinated security responses across the North.
These were contained in a communiqué issued after a joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.
In recent weeks, multiple school raids have rocked the region, leaving families traumatised and several communities deserted.
No fewer than 500 students and residents have been kidnapped by criminal gangs from schools and communities, forcing authorities to shut down schools in several states.
On November 17, 2025, armed men attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, abducting 24 schoolgirls. The school’s vice-principal was killed during the attack. The students were freed a few days later.
Four days later, on November 21, gunmen invaded St. Mary’s Catholic School in the Papiri community, Agwara LGA of Niger State, abducting hundreds of pupils and staff.
Church and local officials later confirmed that 303 students and 12 teachers were taken away.
The escalating attacks prompted several states to order the temporary closure of schools in Kebbi, Bauchi, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Plateau, Niger, Katsina and Kwara states. The Federal Government also ordered the closure of 41 Federal Unity Colleges nationwide.
In response to the crisis, President Bola Tinubu last Wednesday declared a nationwide security emergency, directing immediate recruitment by the army, police and intelligence agencies.
He also urged the National Assembly to begin the process of legalising state police to curb kidnappings and terrorist attacks.
At Monday’s meeting, the northern leaders endorsed the state policing initiative, reversing decades of political opposition to multi-level policing.
The meeting, chaired by the Governor of Gombe State and NSGF Chairman, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, had in attendance the 19 northern governors and chairmen of the 19 states’ traditional councils.
The high-level meeting was attended by Governors Uba Sani (Kaduna), Mohammed Bago (Niger), Inuwa Yahaya( Gombe), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Hyacinth Alia (Benue), and Usman Ododo (Kogi), while others were represented by their deputies.
The participants insisted that decentralised policing had become inevitable.
“The Forum reaffirms its wholehearted support and commitment to the establishment of state police,” the communiqué stated, urging federal and state lawmakers from the region to “expedite action for its actualisation.”
On illegal mining, the forum asserted that criminal mining networks were fuelling violence and providing resources for armed groups.
As a corrective measure, they asked President Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to suspend mining activities to allow for a full audit and revalidation of licences.
“The Forum observed that illegal mining has become a major contributory factor to the security crises in Northern Nigeria,” it said. “We strongly recommend a suspension of mining exploration for six months to allow proper audit and to arrest the menace of artisanal illegal mining.”
To strengthen the fight against insecurity, the governors also announced the creation of a regional Security Trust Fund.
“Each of the 19 Northern states and their local governments will contribute N1bn monthly, to be deducted at source, into a dedicated security fund. The framework for the fund will be finalised soon,” the communiqué added.
The forum commended the President for securing the release of recently abducted schoolchildren and praised the sacrifices of the armed forces.
They pledged their “renewed and total support” for military action to eliminate insurgent enclaves.
They also extended sympathies to the governments and people of Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kano, Borno and Yobe states over recent killings, abductions and Boko Haram attacks.
Speaking at the opening session, Governor Yahaya warned that insecurity had reached a point where “the future of the northern region is being mortgaged.”
He emphasised that the crisis was multi-layered, driven by years of underdevelopment, weak policing and economic hardship. “The targeting of our schools is a direct assault on our collective future,” he said.
He also warned that failure to address the rising population of out-of-school children and the persistence of the Almajiri system would continue to fuel radicalisation.
The NSGF chairman praised Tinubu for “leaving no stone unturned” in efforts to secure the release of abducted students.
He reiterated that only massive investments in infrastructure — roads, rail lines, power and digital connectivity — would unlock the region’s economic growth.
Yahaya also stressed the governors’ long-standing support for state policing, citing its inclusion in their May 2025 communiqué.
Also speaking, the Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, urged the governors to double their efforts and work with absolute unity to rescue the North from its mounting challenges.
He dismissed speculations that the meeting was an emergency intervention triggered by recent attacks, saying it had been long scheduled for review and assessment.
“This meeting was supposed to be held in September but was put off a couple of times for various reasons. It is not an emergency meeting,” he explained.
The Sultan expressed the full support of the traditional institution for the governors, pledging collaboration in the fight against insecurity, poverty and social dislocation.
“As leaders, we need to tell ourselves the truth. But I want to assure you — just listen to the governors — we are 100 per cent with you in this drive to make the North a better place because we don’t have any other place to be,” he said.
He urged political leaders to resist divisive tendencies and remain open to constructive criticism, saying that “listen to critics. Listen to criticisms. Make amendments whenever they arise.”
Abubakar said traditional rulers would continue offering counsel and support when needed. “You have our confidence, you have our trust. You can reach out to us any time of the day,” he told the governors.
He also renewed his call for continuous prayers for national leaders.“Please pray for our leaders. When you pray for them, and they do good things, we all enjoy it.”
NSA visits Niger school
Meanwhile, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, on Monday visited the Proprietor of St. Mary Private Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, Agwara LGA, Bishop Bulus Yohanna of the Kontagora Diocese.
The NSA was at the school to commiserate with the authorities over the abduction of more than 265 students and teachers.
He was accompanied by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Bernard Doro, the Director General of the Department of State Services, Oluwatosin Ajayi and Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Northern Nigeria, Rev. Joseph Hayab.
Ribadu told parents and school officials that the abducted children were safe and would return soon, assuring them that security had been strengthened in the area.
“This is a very solemn and difficult moment for us… Mr President is in pain. He suspended his journey to focus on this,” Ribadu said.
He urged unity in the face of the attack, saying, “Let us not allow bad people to divide us.”
Ribadu praised Bishop Yohanna for his resilience, adding that international partners, including the United States, the United Kingdom and France, were offering support.
“The children will come back safely. Evil will not win,” he assured.
Earlier, Bishop Yohanna thanked the NSA and President Tinubu for their visit and presented a report before proceeding into a closed-door meeting.
FCT police foil attack, arrest suspect
In another development, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command has foiled a planned attack on an unnamed community following a targeted operation by its Anti-Kidnapping Unit.
The operation followed a surge in kidnappings in the ACO community in Gwagwalada and in Bwari, prompting the Commissioner of Police to order intensified efforts to dismantle the network behind the attacks.
FCT police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, said intelligence later revealed that the gang had fixed another raid for December 1, with plans to abduct residents for ransom.
Acting on the tip-off, operatives on November 30 arrested a wanted kidnapper and armed robbery suspect, Sani Mohammed Umar, also known as Boko. His mobile phone, allegedly used to coordinate gang activities, was recovered.
Investigations linked Umar to earlier attacks in ACO, Dupa and Gwagwalada, as well as multiple robberies in Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali. He reportedly admitted that his gang members were waiting for him at Gada Biyu Hills, Kwali, ahead of the planned assault.
Adeh said the Anti-Kidnapping Unit moved into the forest around 11:01 p.m., laid an ambush and came under fire from the heavily armed gang. A 30-minute gun duel followed, during which three bandits were killed, while others fled with gunshot wounds.
Recovered items included three AK-47 rifles, three magazines and 33 rounds of live ammunition.
She added that police and troops of the Army’s 176 Battalion had launched a joint operation to comb the forest and block escape routes, while medical centres were directed to report persons with gunshot injuries.
Bandits levy Sokoto villages
Residents of Bakale village in Kilgori district, Yabo LGA of Sokoto State, are panicking after suspected bandits demanded a ₦20m levy from the community.
An audio message circulating on social media captured the gang leader directing the village head to mobilise payment, warning that refusal would trigger attacks and mass abductions.
A community leader said Bakale was not the only settlement under pressure, listing affected villages across Kilgori and Torankawa districts, including Bazar, Alkalije, Gari, Dagel, Adarawa, Kwaidaza, Runji, Tudu, Tile, Kibiyare and Barmadu. Levies reportedly range from ₦3m to ₦20m.
He added that recent attacks left six people dead in Alkalije and four in Tile.
The spokesperson of the Sokoto Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, did not respond to calls seeking comment.
Ekiti urges calm, says borders fortified
The Ekiti State Government has urged residents to remain calm despite reports of bandit activity in neighbouring Kogi and Kwara states.
Special Adviser on Security Matters, Brig. Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana (retd.), told journalists after a quarterly security meeting that Ekiti remained “one of the safest states,” citing increased military and police presence along border towns and improved intelligence networks.
He said traditional rulers and local government chairmen had been briefed to reassure residents and escalate credible information promptly.
“We want our people to be vigilant and report anything unusual. We have the resources to verify every piece of information,” he said.
Ogundana added that the state was working to prevent the spill-over of attacks affecting farmers, herders and rural communities in neighbouring states.
Ondo boosts Amotekun operations
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to enhancing security, pledging continued support for the Amotekun Corps.
Speaking at the inauguration of the corps’ Command and Control Centre and Training Auditorium in Akure, Aiyedatiwa said the facility would strengthen intelligence coordination, tactical readiness and rapid response.
He praised Amotekun Commander, Adetunji Adeleye, for his leadership and promised more logistics, welfare and training support. He also lauded the late former governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, for championing Amotekun’s establishment.
Adeleye said the corps’ evolution since 2020 showed that local security structures—with strong political backing—could tackle emerging threats. The governor recently approved the recruitment of 500 new officers.
Enugu deploys drones
Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, on Monday, unveiled two long-range security drones, 10 patrol vans, 40 motorbikes and 400 bullet-proof helmets and vests to boost operations.
Speaking at the Command and Control Centre, Mbah said despite an 80 per cent drop in violent crimes, more equipment was needed to fight rising kidnapping incidents, especially in Udenu and border communities with Benue and Kogi.
The drones, equipped with day and night-vision cameras, will support surveillance in high-risk areas.
Security operatives are expected to begin expanded patrols and aerial monitoring immediately.
Kebbi steps up NYSC camp security
The Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, Bello Sani, has strengthened security at the NYSC orientation camp in Basaura, Jega LGA.
During a visit to the camp, he warned security personnel against complacency and emphasised inter-agency collaboration for a safe orientation exercise. A closed-door review of the camp’s security architecture was held with military and government officials.
Police spokesperson Nafi’u Kotarkoshi said discussions focused on early warning systems and rapid response mechanisms.
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