• Govs, traditional rulers meet in Kaduna, say only joint action can halt violence
• Forum suspends mining for six months, blames illegal sites for banditry
• N1b monthly trust fund approved for regional intervention across 19 states
• ACF rejects claims it supports amnesty, payments for bandits
• Ribadu: World stands with Nigeria in fight against terrorism
• Nigeria urges ICC member states to respect national sovereignty
• Security analyst warns civilian gun ownership would worsen insecurity
CONFRONTED by a surge in killings, abductions and illegal mining, Northern leaders have mounted an unprecedented joint response, backing state police, imposing mining suspensions and urging unity as they insist that coordinated, decisive measures are now essential to salvage the region’s security and stability.
Governors of the 19 Northern states and the region’s Traditional Rulers’ Council arrived at the decisions following an emergency joint meeting held yesterday at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.
A central resolution was the immediate suspension of all mining activities in the North for six months. The governors argued that illegal mining had become a major driver of insecurity and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to halt all exploration activities and subject all mining licences to revalidation in consultation with state governors. They said artisanal and illegal mining operations must be contained to cut off key sources of funding and logistics for criminal groups.
The leaders also approved the creation of a Northern Regional Security Trust Fund. Under the arrangement, each of the 19 states and their local governments will contribute N1 billion monthly, deducted at source, to support regional security interventions. The framework for the fund is expected to be finalised soon.
Reiterating their long-standing position, the governors and traditional rulers declared full support for the establishment of state police. They called on federal and state lawmakers from the region to accelerate the constitutional amendments required to enable state-level policing structures.
The communiqué also expressed renewed support for President Tinubu’s anti-terrorism efforts, particularly recent actions that resulted in the release of some abducted school children. The leaders praised the sacrifices of the armed forces and pledged total backing for any military operations necessary to dismantle insurgent enclaves and end terrorism and banditry.
The Forum extended condolences to the governments and people of Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kano, Borno and Yobe states over recent killings, abductions and Boko Haram attacks, acknowledging the heavy toll of the ongoing violence.
Emphasising the need for unity, peer review and cooperation, the communiqué said the North could only overcome its challenges through collective determination and coordinated action. The governors and traditional rulers reaffirmed their commitment to fulfilling their constitutional responsibilities with firmness and clarity.
A follow-up joint meeting will be convened soon to review progress on the implementation of the resolutions.
ACF rejects claims it supports amnesty, payments for bandits
This came as the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) condemned those advocating amnesty and financial incentives for bandits involved in kidnappings and killings in the North, insisting it has never supported such proposals.
In a statement yesterday, the ACF National Publicity Secretary, Prof Tukur Muhammad-Baba, said the Forum’s attention had been drawn to a trending video on social media suggesting it endorsed amnesty and payments to bandits similar to the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s Niger Delta programme.
According to him, the insinuation appeared to stem from a recent interview granted to Arise News by Bashir Dalhatu, Wazirin Dutse and Chairman of the ACF Board of Trustees, but the clip in circulation had been “taken out of context, truncated and mischievously abstracted” to reach predetermined conclusions promoted by “clandestine and shadowy” actors.
Muhammad-Baba said the ACF typically does not respond to anonymous or shadowy groups, but the seriousness of the allegation made clarification necessary.
He explained that Dalhatu spoke largely in a personal capacity, occasionally referencing official views, and had at the start of the interview “assertively and emphatically” condemned terrorist activities in Nigeria and West Africa. Dalhatu had also called for the total annihilation of terrorists and bandits to end insecurity as soon as possible.
Muhammad-Baba added that Dalhatu stressed no one in the North or anywhere in Nigeria was happy with the security crisis or shielding those responsible for the violence.
He said Dalhatu’s reference to the Niger Delta amnesty programme was merely to suggest that both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches, where expedient, should be explored by the government, including variants of the Yar’Adua model. He noted that Dalhatu did not propose applying the programme wholesale and had said anyone advocating such solutions was expressing an opinion.
Muhammad-Baba stressed that Dalhatu made no reference to terrorists or bandits using primordial identities such as ethnicity or religion, and that suggestions otherwise were the product of “mischievous, clandestine and shadowy” individuals or groups.
He stated that the ACF had never called for amnesty for terrorists or bandits and rejected any insinuation to the contrary.
The Forum, he added, remained fully supportive of government and security agencies in their efforts to eradicate terrorism and banditry in Nigeria.
World stands with Nigeria in fight against terrorism, says Ribadu
In a related development, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has said the world stands by Nigeria in its efforts to defeat terrorism, noting that several countries, including the United States, France and the United Kingdom, are already providing technical assistance to the government.
Ribadu gave the assurance during a visit to Kotangora, Niger State, where he met the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Northern Region, Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, alongside parents of the abducted pupils of St Mary’s Private Catholic School, Papiri.
He said President Bola Tinubu was deeply concerned about the children’s safety and had directed that every effort be made to bring them home.
Ribadu told Christian leaders that the abducted children would soon be reunited with their families, insisting that Nigeria would defeat the terrorists .
The NSA, who was accompanied by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Bernard Doro; the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Oluwatosin Ajayi; and the CAN Northern Region Chairman, Joseph Hayab, repeated the assurance to anxious parents and church leaders.
Delivering a message from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during a meeting at St Michael’s Catholic Cathedral, Kotangora, Ribadu said the children would be rescued and that security agencies were intensifying operations to secure their release.
“This is a painful period for all of us,” Ribadu said after listening to parents narrate their fears. “But I want to assure you: we will rescue your children. The President is deeply concerned and has directed that everything necessary must be done.”
He added that President Tinubu had suspended official engagements, including a scheduled trip, to focus on the situation, and said the government was taking full responsibility for strengthening security in the affected area.
Ribadu commended Bishop Yohanna for his resilience and leadership, reiterating that Nigeria was receiving technical support from international partners, including the United States, France and the United Kingdom.
He said: “The whole world stands with us. This evil will not prevail. Your children will come back safely. That is our solemn promise.”
He also assured that rescue operations would not slow down.
Earlier, Bishop Yohanna thanked the Federal Government for the visit, saying it had restored hope among distraught families.
Sources close to the NSA said a brief closed-door meeting followed the open session, during which church authorities presented their report on the incident. It was gathered that representatives of the school and parents also recounted how the abduction occurred and the emotional strain it has brought upon the community.
Nigeria urges ICC member states to respect national sovereignty
Also, Nigeria has urged member states of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to uphold the sovereignty of nations and adhere strictly to constitutional frameworks in their dealings with state parties.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), made the call yesterday at the opening of the 24th Session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute in The Hague, Netherlands.
Delivering Nigeria’s national statement, Fagbemi conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appreciation to the Court and the Assembly for their commitment to strengthening global accountability. He reaffirmed that Nigeria’s dedication to the Rome Statute system remains firm.
He assured the Assembly that Nigeria is resolute in holding perpetrators of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity accountable, stressing that the country’s cooperation with the ICC is anchored on international law and the sovereign equality of states.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria reaffirms its readiness to continue working with the ICC in the fulfilment of its mandate,” Fagbemi said. “Our cooperation is firmly rooted in the principles of international law and the sovereign equality of States, and we remain committed to ensuring that such cooperation always reflects respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty and constitutional framework.”
Fagbemi outlined recent national efforts to strengthen compliance with international humanitarian and criminal justice obligations. He recalled that in May, Nigeria convened a High-Level International Humanitarian Law Dialogue involving government ministries, agencies, civil society organisations and academics.
He said Nigeria continues to prioritise civilian protection in conflict zones and maintains mechanisms for transparent investigations into alleged violations during military operations.
According to him, the Six-Month Demobilisation, Deradicalisation and Reintegration (DDR) Programme has reintegrated more than 6,000 former combatants, contributing to national stability.
The minister added that Nigeria has taken important legislative steps, including the domestication of the African Union’s Kampala Convention on internally displaced persons, which is awaiting presidential assent. Work is also advancing on the domestication of the Rome Statute and Additional Protocols I and II to the Geneva Conventions.
Fagbemi noted that Nigeria recently joined the Global Initiative to Garner Political Support for International Humanitarian Law and endorsed the Political Declaration on the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s adherence to the ICC principle of complementarity, he said the country has demonstrated its capability and willingness to investigate and prosecute serious crimes committed within its jurisdiction.
Security analyst warns civilian gun ownership would worsen insecurity
Meanwhile, a retired military officer and security analyst, Siyaka Nasiru, has warned that allowing Nigerians to carry firearms for self-defence would worsen, rather than address, insecurity, describing the proposal as “an invitation to chaos”.
Nasiru issued the warning on a programme on Adamimogo 105.1 FM, Ibadan, where he analysed rising public calls for civilian gun ownership amid renewed violent attacks and mass abductions across the country. More than 490 people have been kidnapped in multiple states over the past two weeks, with communities such as Eruku in Kwara State repeatedly targeted.
He said the wave of attacks had intensified public frustration and eroded confidence in government assurances that rarely translate into improved security. But despite the growing anxiety, he insisted that arming citizens would be a dangerous mistake.
“Carrying arms is illegal and exposes citizens to even greater harm,” he said. “Self-defence begins with vigilance, sharing intelligence, reporting suspicious movements, and working closely with security agencies.”
His stance contrasts sharply with recent comments by Senator Francis Fadahunsi, who suggested that “responsible Nigerians” should be allowed to bear arms. Nasiru dismissed such proposals as emotional responses rather than sound policy ideas.
“He enjoys protections most Nigerians do not,” he said. “Firearms are expensive; if only a few can afford them, where is the balance? And after the crisis, who retrieves the weapons? That is exactly how today’s terrorism began, with politically armed groups that later became uncontrollable.”
Nasiru said Nigeria could not adopt firearm policies from other countries without considering its unique security realities.
“If we ask 250 million Nigerians to own guns, who regulates them?” he asked. “Even in the United States, where gun ownership is a constitutional right, mass killings still occur. Only yesterday, a whole family of four was wiped out.”
He urged government agencies to prioritise intelligence-led operations, better inter-agency coordination and stronger collaboration with traditional rulers and local communities. He said residents offered the most reliable intelligence but were often afraid to speak up due to fear of retaliation.
On former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s recent claim that Nigeria has enough surveillance drones to tackle insecurity, Nasiru disagreed, arguing that equipment and expertise remain inadequate.
“Our drones are insufficient, and we may not even be deploying the ones we have effectively,” he said. “Government must invest in modern tools and recruit more personnel across the military, police, civil defence, and DSS.”
He also supported controlled foreign assistance in the form of training, intelligence sharing or technology transfer, provided Nigerian authorities remain in charge.
“As we seek external help for the economy, we should also be willing to seek help for security,” he added.
