Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State says northern governors have agreed to procure high-tech equipment for security agencies and engage youths to support security operations aimed at tackling insecurity in the region.
The governor disclosed this during the State Executive Council meeting held in Lafia, the state capital.
Governor Sule, who chairs the North Central Governors’ Forum, said the decision was reached at the recent Northern Governors’ Forum meeting in Kaduna.
According to him, the Northern Governors’ Forum agreed that each state will contribute one billion naira monthly for one year as a security fund to address the region’s security challenges.
He said the forum will build its secretariat in Kaduna, adding that the nineteen northern governors have donated one hundred million naira each for a period of one year.
Governor Abdullahi Sule further clarified the decision to suspend mining activities in Nasarawa State, explaining that the suspension is not a total ban on mining operations for six months, but rather a halt on the issuance of new licences pending the verification of authentic miners.
He said the verification process aims to identify legitimate operators and eliminate illegal mining activities that generate no revenue for the state and contribute to insecurity.
The governor explained that the presence of illegal miners has created a haven for bandits, kidnappers, and other security threats, necessitating stricter regulation of the sector.
COV /Aliyu Muraki/Lafia.
