Northern Governors, Monarchs Seek Six-Month Suspension of Mining to Curb Insecurity

Northern Governors, Monarchs Seek Six-Month Suspension of Mining to Curb Insecurity

Northern governors and traditional rulers have called for a six-month suspension of mining activities in Northern Nigeria, blaming widespread illegal mining for fuelling insecurity and funding armed groups across the region.

The position was contained in a communiqué issued after a joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council held at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna, with all 19 northern governors and traditional council chairmen in attendance.

The Forum expressed deep worry over escalating violence across the North, citing recent killings and abductions in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kano, as well as renewed Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe. It described the attacks on schoolchildren and rural communities as “unacceptable tragedies” requiring urgent, united action.

The governors commended President Bola Tinubu’s “firm response” to recent abductions, including the rescue of kidnapped pupils, while praising security agencies for their frontline sacrifices.

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A key resolution from the meeting was the region’s renewed pressure for state police, with the Forum stating that decentralised policing had become inevitable. It called on northern federal and state lawmakers to expedite legislative processes for its establishment.

On illegal mining, the Forum said criminal mining syndicates were worsening insecurity by empowering bandit and insurgent networks. It urged President Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to halt all mining activities for six months to allow a full audit and licence revalidation.

“The Forum strongly recommends a six-month suspension of mining to curb artisanal illegal mining and its security implications,” the communiqué stated.

To enhance regional security coordination, the governors also announced the establishment of a Northern Security Trust Fund, with each state and its local governments contributing ₦1 billion monthly, deducted at source. The fund will support joint operations, intelligence gathering and coordinated security interventions.

Reaffirming their commitment to unity, the Forum said only collective action and cooperation would address the North’s security challenges. The governors and traditional rulers agreed to reconvene at a later date.

Northern Governors, Monarchs Seek Six-Month Suspension of Mining to Curb Insecurity