Inuwa Yahaya, governor of Gombe and chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF), says state police is a critical and effective mechanism to tackle the present security challenges.
Speaking on Monday at the opening of a two-day security summit jointly organised by the NSGF and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council (NTRC) in Kaduna, Yahaya identified underdevelopment, illiteracy, lack of opportunities, climate change and poor resource management as the major drivers of the crisis.
“Future generations will remember us not by the number of projects we commissioned, but by whether we bequeath to them a northern Nigeria they can truly call home,” he said.
He added that “we must take decisive and coordinated actions to put every child in school”, warning against the repercussions of millions of Almajiri and out-of-school children in the north.
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Yahaya said the national assembly should expedite the constitutional amendments required to make the state police a reality.
The governor extended condolences to families of schoolchildren recently abducted in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Kano, Niger and Sokoto states, as well as victims of fresh Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe.
“Education is the bedrock of our children’s future; an attack on education is a direct assault on our future,” Yahaya said.
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He commended President Bola Tinubu for his “strong leadership and steadfast commitment to Nigeria’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Yahaya said the president is “leaving no stone unturned” in securing the release of some abducted children and urged sustained efforts until the remaining ones regain freedom.
He called for an end to partisan bickering, warning leaders.
“We must not allow our enemies to sow seeds of discord and distrust amongst us. Let us reject divisive narratives and work in concert for the very survival of the north and Nigeria at large,” he said.
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He also encouraged traditional and religious leaders to leverage their moral authority to promote peace, harmony and tolerance.
He further called on security agencies to maintain “proactive vigilance” and respond swiftly to threats, while urging the judiciary to ensure the rapid administration of criminal justice.
