Skip to main content

INSECURITY: Northern Nigeria Leaders Demand Drastic Action: Suspend Mining, Create State Police

In a dramatic response to escalating violence, Nigeria's northern governors and traditional rulers have jointly called for a six-month suspension of all mining activities and renewed their push for the establishment of state police forces.

Citing a direct link between illegal mining and rampant insecurity, the leaders made the bold proposals during an emergency security summit in Kaduna on Monday. The meeting, which brought together all 19 northern governors and the region’s highest traditional rulers, aimed to formulate a unified response to a wave of killings and abductions.

The communiqué issued after the meeting pointed to recent attacks in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa, and Kano states, alongside renewed Boko Haram activity in Borno and Yobe, as "unacceptable tragedies" requiring urgent action. The leaders specifically recommended that President Bola Tinubu order the Minister of Solid Minerals to suspend mining exploration for half a year. This pause would allow for a full audit and revalidation of all mining licenses in consultation with state governors.

A second major resolution saw the powerful bloc throwing its full weight behind the creation of state police—a long-debated reform aimed at decentralizing Nigeria’s security architecture. The forum urged federal and state legislators from the north to "expedite action for its actualisation," calling decentralized policing "inevitable."

To fund a more robust regional security response, the leaders also agreed to establish a Northern Security Trust Fund. The proposal outlines a plan where each of the 19 northern states would contribute one billion naira monthly, with deductions made automatically from source.

While the leaders commended President Tinubu and security agencies for recent efforts, including the rescue of some abducted pupils, the sweeping proposals signal deep regional frustration and a desire for more aggressive, locally-controlled solutions to the persistent insecurity crisis.

These proposals represent the most coordinated and concrete plan from the north to date, setting up a potential showdown with federal authorities over control of resources and security policy.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PERSONALITY: Profile of a Performer

  His smile is calm, his overall demeanor unassuming. But make no mistake; Akinwunmi Ambode is no push over. He is a man of high intellectual character. Starting his career at a very young age, Ambode rose to the very pinnacle of the Civil Service, by dint of hard work, focus and altruism. Above all, he always has his head clear, his goals and perspectives well conceived from the start. He doesn’t mince words. He neither gives vain flattery nor expects to receive it, as those who have come to know him will attest to. Read more, after the cut...
1 comment
Read more

Sheikh Gumi Alleges Foreign Powers are Financing Terrorists in Nigeria

Prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has accused unnamed foreign nations of supporting terrorist groups in Nigeria, citing a sudden reversal of security gains in recent months as evidence of external interference. In a significant and provocative claim, Nigerian Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has alleged that international actors are providing backing to terrorists operating within the country. During an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, Sheikh Gumi pointed to deteriorating security in areas that had shown marked improvement. He specifically highlighted the Abuja-Kaduna highway, which had become safer for travelers, and the farmlands around Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State, where farmers had cautiously returned to their fields after years of abandonment. "The situation on the ground contradicts earlier signs of improvement," Gumi stated, arguing that the recent surge in attacks suggests renewed support for armed groups. "This sudden rever...
Post a Comment
Read more

DSS Arrests Medical Doctor Accused of Supplying Drugs to Kwara Kidnapping Syndicate

Intelligence-led operation in Jebba uncovers healthcare professional allegedly aiding criminal networks. In a significant breakthrough, Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) has apprehended a licensed medical doctor for his alleged role in supporting kidnapping gangs terrorizing parts of Kwara State. The arrest followed a targeted interception in the Jebba area, based on precise intelligence regarding the movement of supplies to criminal elements. According to security officials, the doctor was caught transporting medical provisions from Sokoto State intended for kidnappers operating within Kwara. This development suggests that recent security operations have been effective, leaving some gang members wounded and in urgent need of care. “These criminal networks are becoming increasingly desperate for medical assistance following sustained engagements with security forces,” a DSS official stated. The situation has prompted a security advisory for health fac...
Post a Comment
Read more