Northern governors have launched one of the most sweeping security interventions in recent years, announcing a six-month suspension of all mining activities and approving a ₦1bn-per-state monthly security trust fund aimed at dismantling bandit networks, cutting off funding sources and stabilising the region.
The decisions emerged from an emergency joint session between the Northern Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council held at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House in Kaduna, following weeks of escalating violence, mass abductions and deadly attacks across the North-West, North-East and North-Central.
Mining Shut Down: “Illegal mining is now a backbone of banditry”
The governors said illegal mining sites had transformed into cash pipelines for terrorist groups, fueling logistics, weapons procurement and cross-border criminal movements.
The communiqué urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to enforce:
- Immediate suspension of all mining activities
- Revalidation of existing licences
- Shutdown of artisanal and illegal mining sites
- Joint security oversight involving state governments
Officials say mining camps have become safe havens for kidnappers and bandits, making the industry a national security emergency.
₦1bn Monthly Regional Security Fund: A new joint-security architecture
The leaders approved the creation of a Northern Regional Security Trust Fund, with all 19 states and their local governments contributing ₦1bn monthly, deducted at source.
The fund will support:
- coordinated military and police operations
- intelligence-led missions
- logistics for rapid response units
- community security networks
- technology-based surveillance
A technical team will finalise the framework before implementation begins.
Full Support for State Police
Northern governors reiterated their long-standing backing for state police, urging federal lawmakers to accelerate constitutional amendments.
“The current structure is inadequate for the scale of threats we face,”
the communiqué stated.
Traditional rulers present at the meeting also endorsed the move, citing urgent need for community-driven policing.
Condolences and an urgent warning
The forum extended condolences to states hit by recent attacks — including Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kano, Borno and Yobe — warning that without coordinated action, violence could spiral further.
They stressed that only unity, cooperation and peer review among state leaders can reverse the security decline.
A follow-up meeting will be convened to review progress.
ACF Denies Supporting Amnesty for Bandits
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) separately issued a strong statement rejecting claims that it endorses amnesty or payments for bandits, following a viral video misquoting its Board of Trustees chairman.
The ACF called the clip “truncated, misleading and mischievously abstracted.”
It emphasised:
- full backing for government’s anti-terrorism operations
- total rejection of amnesty for terrorists
- commitment to annihilating bandit networks
This aligns with the broader Northern stance favouring kinetic and intelligence-driven action.
High-stakes intervention in a region under siege
With kidnappings, mass killings, school abductions and mining-linked banditry surging, the new measures represent a major regional reset.
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Analysts say the mining suspension and security fund could reshape security coordination if strictly implemented.
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