Northern Governors Meet in Kaduna Over Rising Insecurity

Governors from the 19 Northern states convened in Kaduna on Monday to address the escalating cases of kidnapping, banditry, and other violent crimes across the region. The emergency meeting is holding inside the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House.

The gathering, according to officials, is centred on developing coordinated strategies to combat the recent surge in insecurity, especially attacks targeting schools and vulnerable communities. The renewed wave of violence has heightened public concern across the North.

Governors in attendance include Uba Sani of Kaduna, Mohammed Bago of Niger, Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe, Umar Namadi of Jigawa, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, Nasir Idris of Kebbi, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, and Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa. Several other states are represented by their deputies.

Also present are traditional rulers led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, who joined discussions on strengthening regional security collaboration. The involvement of monarchs is aimed at reinforcing community-level intelligence and early-warning systems.

Although official details of the meeting have not yet been released, government insiders said governors are deliberating on urgent security interventions following recent attacks on educational institutions and rural settlements across the region. They noted that some states have temporarily shut schools due to rising risks.

“The governors are deeply concerned about the troubling resurgence of kidnapping and banditry across the North,” a senior government source said. “This meeting is focused on finding practical, collective solutions to safeguard lives, especially in schools and remote communities.”

“The recent attacks in Kebbi and Niger states have made it clear that proactive regional cooperation is no longer optional but necessary,” the source added, stressing that security agencies have been placed on heightened alert.

The North has witnessed an alarming rise in school-related attacks in recent weeks. In Kebbi State, armed men invaded the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, abducting at least 24 students and killing the vice principal. Days later in Niger State, gunmen seized more than 300 students and staff at St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, although about 50 later escaped.