By Abdulkareem Haruna

MAIDUGURI – The Northeast Governors’ Forum (NEGF) convened its 8th meeting in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Saturday, expressing concern over the escalating banditry and worsening security situation in the region.

The forum, which comprises the Governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, and Yobe, with Gombe and Taraba represented by their Deputy Governors, acknowledged the relative success against insurgency but raised alarm over the growing banditry in the region.

The forum noted that bandits are increasingly moving towards the Northeast due to the military’s efforts to flush them out from other parts of the country.

Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, who read the communique at the end of the forum’s meeting, revealed that some traditional rulers and local authorities are colluding with the bandits, providing them shelter and cover to commit crimes within the region. 

The situation is reportedly worsening in Bauchi, Gombe, and Taraba, areas previously untouched by banditry. The forum has called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene.

The NEGF also highlighted the role of some traditional rulers and local authorities in exacerbating the situation, accusing them of conniving with the bandits and providing them with shelter. The forum resolved to take decisive action against any traditional ruler or community leader found to be aiding the bandits.

Yobe Governors MaiMala Buni, Borno’s Zulum, and Bauchi’s Bala Mohammed at the NEGF 8th meeting

“We have unanimously resolved to deal decisively with any traditional ruler or community leader found to be harboring or conniving with the bandits,” he said.

The proliferation of both legal and illegal mining in the region was also identified as a contributing factor to the insecurity, with the forum noting a link between mining activities and the worsening security situation. The NEGF called on the respective governments to enforce compliance with local consent provisions in Nigeria’s Mining Policy and the Land Use Act.

Climate change and environmental degradation were also identified as major issues affecting the region. The forum noted the increasing suffering of the people due to flooding, silting of rivers, and deforestation caused by the charcoal business. The NEGF called for Federal Government intervention in desilting the rivers and stricter regulation of deforestation.

The forum also expressed dismay over the neglect of road and railway infrastructure, particularly along the economic corridors linking the Northeast subregion to the rest of the country. The NEGF called on the Federal Government to consider reconstructing the infrastructure along the Enugu-Maiduguri Economic Corridor, a major route for regional trade.

The NEGF agreed to domesticate the Education Law 2022 across all states within the subregion and urged the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) to prioritize sustainable development needs. The forum also resolved to promote subregional commerce and resuscitate the northeast trade fair, scheduled for January 2024 in Bauchi.

The 9th meeting of the NEGF is set to take place in Yola, Adamawa State, in November 2023.