The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has announced the creation of a regional security trust fund under which the 19 northern states and their LGAs will contribute a combined N1 billion monthly.
According to the forum, the fund is to be deducted at source
to confront the escalating banditry, terrorism and kidnapping ravaging the
region.
The decision was contained in a communiqué issued at the end
of a crucial joint meeting between the governors and members of the Northern
Traditional Rulers’ Council (NTRC) in Kaduna on Monday.
The communiqué, signed by Inuwa Yahaya, the NSGF chairman
and governor of Gombe, said the fund was necessary “in order to effectively
confront the security crises in the north.”
“In order to effectively confront the security crises in the
North, the forum resolved to set up a regional Security Trust Fund to be funded
with monthly contributions of one billion naira from each state and local
government to be deducted at source under a framework to be agreed upon,” the
statement reads.
The governors called on President Bola Tinubu to direct Dele
Alake, minister of solid minerals development, to immediately suspend all
mining activities in the region for six months to enable a comprehensive audit
and revalidation of licences.
They described illegal mining as “a major contributory
factor” to the security crisis, accusing artisanal miners and their sponsors of
funding banditry and terrorism.
The governors commended Tinubu “for leaving no stone
unturned” in securing the release of some abducted schoolchildren and praised
the sacrifices of security operatives battling insurgents across the country.
They reaffirmed their “wholehearted support” for the
creation of state police and urged northern federal and state lawmakers to
fast-track the required constitutional amendments.
“Accordingly, the forum encourages National and States
Assembly Members in the region to expedite action for its actualisation,” the
governors said.
“The forum observed that illegal mining has become a major
contributory factor to the security crises in Northern Nigeria; the forum
therefore resolved to strongly recommend to the President to direct the Hon.
Minister of Solid Minerals to suspend mining exploration for a period of six
months to allow proper audit.
“Subject all mining licences to revalidation for a period of
six months in active consultation with the various state governors and, in the
process, arrest the menace of artisanal illegal mining.”
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