Leaders of the 19 states in northern Nigeria under the banner of Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) together with traditional rulers, have announced a bold plan to confront the spike in kidnappings, banditry, and school raids that have recently rocked the region.
At a joint meeting in Kaduna on December 2, 2025, the governors resolved to:
Seek an immediate six month suspension of all mining activities in northern Nigeria citing illegal mining operations as a key source of funding and logistical support for criminal groups.
Launch a regional Security Trust Fund, with a dedicated monthly contribution of ₦1 billion from each state and its local governments, to be deducted at source. Over the course of a year, this pool would amount to ₦228 billion, earmarked for coordinated security operations, intelligence driven interventions, and joint responses to violence and kidnapping across the region.
The governors and traditional rulers argued that illegal mining and its financial networks have become major enablers of insecurity in northern Nigeria.
According to their communiqué:
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Artisanal and illicit mining outfits allegedly finance armed groups, supplying them with funds used to procure weapons, sustain operations, and carry out kidnappings and attacks.
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The suspension combined with an audit and revalidation of mining licenses is meant to cut off this financial pipeline, disrupt criminal structures, and reduce the resources available to bandits and terrorists.
Essentially, the move seeks to kill two birds with one stone: slash the criminals’ funding source, and free up resources for legitimate security interventions.
The Context: What Triggered This Strong Response
The decision came against the backdrop of a horrifying wave of violence and abductions across northern states:
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Recent school raids have resulted in hundreds of students kidnapped from institutions in Kebbi, Niger, and other states.
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Communities has also faced mass kidnappings, killings, and widespread terror forcing closures of several schools and sustaining fear among residents.
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Many argue that weak policing, economic hardship, unemployment, and lack of development created fertile ground for criminal networks to flourish often funded by illicit activities like illegal mining.
By identifying mining as a funding source for banditry, and coupling that with structured funding for security, northern leaders are signaling an attempt at systemic change not just reactive measures.
Potential Benefits
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Cutting off funding for criminal networks: If the mining suspension and licence audit are properly enforced, it could significantly weaken the resources available to armed groups.
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Sustainable security operations: A dedicated trust fund provides consistent financing for patrols, intelligence, and coordinated responses unlike previous ad-hoc funding.
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Structural reform push: Support for state policing and decentralized security may empower states to respond faster and more effectively to local threats.
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Restoring public trust: Demonstrates to citizens that leaders are taking decisive action which could rebuild confidence and foster cooperation between communities and security agencies.
Challenges & Risks
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Implementation risk: Enforcing a mining ban, auditing licenses, and tracking illegal operations will require strong oversight and there’s always the risk of loopholes or corruption.
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Economic fallout: Mining supports livelihoods for many artisanal miners, local laborer, middlemen. A ban could hurt legitimate workers unless alternative livelihoods are provided.
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Dependence on political will: The success of the security fund and proposed reforms depends heavily on continuous commitment; once the crisis fades, funding might stall.
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State police issues: Transitioning to decentralized policing could raise concerns about accountability, uniformity, and funding. It’s a structural change that requires careful planning.
The decision by northern governors and traditional rulers to suspend mining and set up a ₦228 billion security fund is one of the most forceful, coordinated regional responses to insecurity in years. It represents a shift in approach from reactive to proactive, from piecemeal to systemic, from passivity to agency.
What’s clear is that northern Nigeria and indeed, the whole country is watching. The stakes could not be higher: the future of schools, communities, and generations depends on whether this bold gamble pays off.
