The 19 governors in the Northern region of the nation met with traditional rulers on Monday, October 28, at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House in Kaduna to deliberate on pressing issues affecting Northern Nigeria.

The Northern States Governors’ Forum, led by its Chairman, Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, and hosted by Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna, organized this strategic meeting to address the critical challenges of insecurity, poverty, and the high number of out-of-school children among other socio-economic concerns.

The meeting saw the participation of governors from Kaduna, Gombe, Zamfara, Nasarawa, Borno, Bauchi, Kwara, and Adamawa states, with deputy governors representing other states.

High-profile traditional leaders such as the Sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar Saad; Shehu of Borno, Umar El-Kanemi; Emir of Zazzau, Nuhu Bamali; and the Ohinoyi of Ebira land, among others, also attended.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, briefed the attendees on the military’s current strategies and successes in combating banditry, terrorism, and other security threats plaguing the region.

The traditional rulers provided insights into the socio-cultural dimensions of these challenges, emphasizing the role of community leadership in fostering peace and stability.

Governors Yahaya and Sani, in their opening remarks, stressed the urgency of joint action to mitigate the adverse effects of insecurity on the economic vitality of the region.