Governors of the 19 northern states have inaugurated the Board of Trustees of the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund, describing the initiative as a major step towards addressing the region’s growing security challenges.
The announcement was made on Wednesday in Kaduna during a meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, chaired by the Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
According to a statement issued by the Director-General of Press Affairs at the Gombe Government House, Ismaila Misilli, Yahaya said insecurity continues to threaten peace, economic activities and development across northern Nigeria.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our collective effort to confront one of the most serious challenges facing Northern Nigeria—the challenge of insecurity,” Yahaya said.
He noted that banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, drug abuse and other criminal activities have continued to disrupt livelihoods, weaken social cohesion and slow development across the region.
The governor recalled that during previous meetings in Kaduna and Abuja, the forum resolved that the worsening security situation required coordinated and decisive action.
“It was in furtherance of this commitment that the Forum resolved to establish the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund,” he said.
Yahaya explained that the fund is expected to mobilise resources, strengthen intelligence sharing, improve security coordination and support the operations of federal security agencies in protecting lives and property.
He described the inauguration of the Board of Trustees as the first major step in implementing the initiative, noting that members were selected from across the 19 northern states based on their integrity, patriotism and professional experience.
“The members of the Board of Trustees are men who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavour in the service of our great country. We are confident they will bring their experience, integrity, patriotism and a deep understanding of the urgency of the moment,” he stated.
Yahaya, however, cautioned that the Trust Fund must remain result-oriented.
“The Trust Fund is not intended to become another layer of bureaucracy. It must function as a focused, responsive and credible platform for resource mobilisation, strategic support, alignment and coordination with federal security agencies and other relevant stakeholders,” he said.
The forum chairman disclosed that governors had earlier agreed that each northern state, together with its local government councils, would contribute ₦1 billion every month for one year to finance the Trust Fund.
While commending states that had already begun fulfilling their financial commitments, he urged others to do the same.
“The task before us is too urgent and too important to be left to a few states alone. I therefore call on all my brother governors to redeem their pledges promptly and consistently,” Yahaya said.
He stressed that sustained funding and institutional backing would be critical to the success of the initiative.
Describing insecurity as a serious threat to the region’s future, the governor said it has displaced families, disrupted farming, discouraged investment and weakened local economies.
“If we are to win this battle, we must match our words with action, our concerns with resources and our resolutions with proper implementation,” he added.
Yahaya also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government for ongoing efforts to improve national security, while welcoming discussions on state policing.
He clarified that the Security Trust Fund is intended to complement existing national security structures rather than replace them.
“Its purpose is to support coordination, strengthen partnerships and enable the Northern States to make a more effective contribution to national security efforts,” he explained.
The governor further argued that addressing insecurity would require tackling its underlying causes, including poverty, unemployment, illiteracy and the growing number of out-of-school children.
He called for greater investment in education, agriculture, youth empowerment and skills development, while urging governments to protect farmers, prevent communal conflicts and promote modern livestock and agricultural practices.
Yahaya also appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations, the private sector and development partners to support the initiative.
“Security is not the responsibility of government alone. It is a collective duty, and every stakeholder has a role to play,” he said.
