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Insecurity: Northern Nigeria governors accept state police proposal
Governors of states of Northern Nigeria have finally agreed for the establishment of state police in the country and warned that the region stood on the brink of losing its future to escalating insecurity and deepening poverty, unless leaders took urgent, decisive action.
Also, Kaduna State governor, Senator Uba Sani, urged his colleagues and traditional rulers to close ranks and confront the region’s deepening security challenges with sincerity and collective resolve.
Speaking at a joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, NSGF, and Northern Traditional Rulers Council in Kaduna, Chairman of the Forum and Gombe State governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, said the north was currently confronted with “the grim reality of insecurity and poverty that seek to undermine our very existence.”
The two-day meeting, held at Kaduna State Government House, drew 19 governors, traditional rulers, security chiefs and civil society representatives in what was described as a final push for a coordinated response to terrorism, banditry and social decay in the region.
Governor Yahaya said future generations would judge today’s leaders not by the number of projects they commissioned but by whether they were able to bequeath to them a northern Nigeria they could truly call home.
He paid tribute to President Bola Tinubu, commending his “strong leadership and steadfast commitment to Nigeria’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” especially in the rescue efforts for abducted schoolchildren.
The governor extended condolences to families of pupils abducted in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Kano, Niger and Sokoto states, as well as victims of recent Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe states..
He insisted that attacks on education were an assault on the region’s destiny.
Warning that insecurity spared no one, poor or rich, Muslim or Christian, Governor Yahaya sought an end to partisan bickering and a united stand to “ensure the very survival of the north and Nigeria at large.”
He also called for the rejection of divisive narratives, saying the crisis was driven not only by crime but also by underdevelopment, illiteracy, poor resource management, climate change and the abandonment of millions of Almajiri and out-of-school children.
Topping the agenda was a renewed call for the establishment of state police.
Reaffirming the May 10, 2025, communique of the NSGF, the governors said state policing remained “a critical and effective mechanism” to address today’s security challenges and urged the National Assembly to fast-track constitutional amendments required to make it a reality.
Traditional rulers were tasked to deploy their influence as “stabilisers,” while religious leaders were urged to preach tolerance and avoid incendiary rhetoric.
Political leaders, the forum warned, must desist from exploiting ethnic or religious differences for political gains.
Security agencies were equally encouraged to maintain proactive surveillance and timely responses, while the judiciary was called upon to ensure swift criminal justice delivery.
In a joint declaration, the governors pledged to work closely with the federal government, under President Tinubu, “to turn the tide and ensure lasting peace and stability for our region and the nation at large.”
The Supreme Court of Nigeria will on Thursday, deliver judgments in two cases involving the leadership crises rocking the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
According to information on the official website of the court, the matters, listed under “Political Appeals”, have been added to the cause list for Thursday, April 30, 2026.
While judgment in the ADC matter, marked SC/CV/180/2026, has been fixed for 2 pm, there is no time yet for that if the PDP.
President Bola Tinubu has written the Senate, seeking the screening and subsequent confirmation of fifteen nominees to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The letter was read by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The letter seeks the reconstitution of the commission’s board in line with statutory provisions with the list comprising nominees from diverse professional backgrounds, including the media and legal sectors.
Among the nominees are the President, Nigeria Guild of Editors and Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Eze Anaba; and Dr. Salamatu Hussaina Suleiman, who has been proposed as chairman of the board.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Anthony Ojukwu (SAN) is to retain his position as the Chief Executive Officer.
Other nominees include Mrs Roseline Tasha, Ambassador Adam Yubak Baku, ACG Felix Lawrence, Mr. Edmund Chinonye, Mr. Chinonye Obiaku (SAN), Oluwakemi Asiwaju Okere-Odo, Professor Adedeji Ogunji, Kingsley Chidozie, Mohammed Adelodu, Maupe Ogun Yusuf, and Otunba Francis Meshioye as members.
Also nominated are Patience Patrick and Hawwa Ibrahim, listed as members.
The President said the nominations were made pursuant to Section 2(3) of the National Human Rights Commission (Establishment) Act, 2010, which empowers him to constitute the board subject to Senate confirmation.
He explained that the reconstitution of the board was necessary to enhance the commission’s institutional capacity and enable it to more effectively discharge its mandate to promote and protect human rights across the country.
If confirmed, the new board is expected to play a critical role in reinforcing the NHRC’s oversight functions, particularly at a time of heightened concerns over rights protection and accountability in Nigeria.
Following the presentation of the request, the Senate referred the nominations to its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for screening and report within two weeks.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has revealed that it investigated the founder of Streams of Joy International, Pastor Jerry Eze, for six months over suspected money laundering before clearing him.
Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Commission, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking at the Jerry Eze Foundation Business Grant Award Ceremony in Abuja.
According to him, the probe was triggered by intelligence reports and petitions after the commission observed large inflows of foreign currencies into the cleric’s domiciliary account.
“We work by intelligence, we work by petitions. At some point, I saw there was an account, a domiciliary account. Dollars, pounds were dropping in like raindrops, from Colombia, from America, from Sri Lanka, even from Togo.
“I said who is this man? Yes, I’ve been hearing about his name, I’ve seen his face a couple of times. I never bothered about what he was doing. I knew he was a pastor.
“So they said this one pastor of streams of joy, go and investigate him. So we went to the investigation. We combed the books,” Olukoyede stated.
The EFCC boss said he subsequently invited Eze for questioning after preliminary findings were compiled by investigators.
He added that upon meeting the cleric and reviewing the findings of the investigation, the commission found no wrongdoing.
“So he came to my office. He told me what happens and all of that, and how the money came, what he does, how he has been helping people, and all of that.
“I said, you know what, I didn’t call you here to explain to me. We have already done our work. I called you here to commend you,” he stated.
The remark drew applause from the audience, as Eze, who was present at the event, acknowledged the commendation.
He noted that the commission has a responsibility not only to investigate financial crimes but also to recognise individuals found to have acted with integrity.
The EFCC chairman, however, stated that the agency would continue to monitor financial activities where necessary, stressing that its preventive mandate remains critical in tackling corruption.
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