The Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, says insecurity across northern Nigeria has worsened largely because the country failed to understand and address the grievances that pushed many armed bandits to take up weapons.
In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service monitored by our correspondent in Kaduna, Yahaya disclosed that the 19 northern governors have agreed to form a joint regional security coordination agency.
Under the new arrangement, each state will contribute ₦1 billion monthly to boost collective efforts against kidnapping, banditry, and the rising wave of school closures.
The decision was reached during the Northern Governors’ meeting earlier in the week, following renewed attacks that have resulted in mass abductions and the shutdown of schools in several states.
Yahaya noted that part of the region’s escalating security challenges stems from the historical marginalisation and unjust treatment of pastoralist communities, which he said created anger and frustration later exploited by criminal groups.
He stressed that resolving insecurity would require confronting these root causes, including issues of exclusion, lack of justice, and deepening economic hardship.
The governor added that the new regional security framework will enhance intelligence-sharing, joint operations, and preventive strategies across all affected states, marking a major shift in how the region coordinates its response to violence and instability.
