July 8 (THEWILL) — The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has ramped up its efforts to address the escalating security challenges in the region by inaugurating the Board of Trustees for the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund (NNSTF). The inauguration took place during an NSGF meeting in Kaduna.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed, and retired General Martin Luther Agwai were inaugurated as Co-Chairmen. They are joined by other board members representing the 19 northern states.
During the inauguration, the Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, described the initiative as a significant step in the region’s collective effort to combat insecurity through a coordinated, transparent, and sustainable framework.
Yahaya explained that the trust fund aims to mobilize resources, strengthen intelligence sharing, and complement the Federal Government and security agencies’ efforts in addressing banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, drug abuse, and other violent crimes that threaten peace and development in Northern Nigeria.
He noted that the establishment of the Board of Trustees represents a crucial milestone in overcoming the region’s security challenges, noting that trustees were carefully selected based on their integrity, patriotism, and extensive experience.
Yahaya urged board members to effectively manage resources, uphold the highest standards of accountability, and deliver measurable improvements in security coordination and rapid response.
He stressed that the fund must focus on practical outcomes rather than becoming another bureaucratic institution.
“The trust fund cannot turn into a platform for endless meetings. It must produce tangible results that enhance security in our communities,” he stated.
The Gombe governor also reminded attendees of the forum’s prior decision requiring each of the 19 northern states and their local governments to contribute ₦1 billion monthly for 12 months to support this initiative.
He praised states that have already met their financial commitments and urged those that have not to fulfill their pledges promptly to ensure the effective implementation of the fund’s objectives.
Yahaya expressed concern that ongoing insecurity has devastated communities throughout the North, weakened agricultural production, deterred investments, disrupted livelihoods, and displaced thousands of residents.
He reiterated the forum’s support for President Bola Tinubu’s current security reforms, indicating that the trust fund would strengthen existing national security structures through enhanced collaboration, intelligence sharing, and active community involvement.
Beyond security operations, Yahaya highlighted the importance of sustained investments in education, agriculture, youth empowerment, and skills acquisition programs to address the underlying socio-economic factors contributing to insecurity in the region.
Earlier, Governor Uba Sani welcomed his colleagues, traditional leaders, and other stakeholders to the meeting, describing it as a significant opportunity for strengthening regional peace, stability, and economic development.
Sani commended Yahaya’s leadership of the forum, stating it has remained focused on addressing the issues affecting millions across Northern Nigeria through collective action.
He also praised the Tinubu administration for its interventions in transportation, agriculture, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and national security, calling them critical to national development.
The Governor of Kaduna expressed his support for the proposed establishment of state police, describing it as an urgent constitutional reform necessary to tackle evolving security threats.
He stated that state police would reinforce local security structures, improve grassroots intelligence gathering, and enhance rapid responses to banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping.
Sani commended President Tinubu and the National Assembly for advancing the constitutional amendment process regarding state policing, expressing optimism that this reform would significantly enhance internal security and complement the efforts of federal security agencies.
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