The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on northern leaders to unite against banditry, terrorism and kidnapping, insisting that security cannot be left to government and security agencies alone.
Speaking Wednesday at a joint meeting of northern traditional rulers and governors in Kaduna, the Sultan said only collaboration among governors, security agencies, traditional institutions and citizens could defeat insecurity in the region.
“Security is everybody’s responsibility. It’s not just for security agencies alone, or the governors alone, or traditional rulers alone. We need to really come together and fight this menace,” he said.
He described the inauguration of the Board of Trustees of the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund as a major step toward tackling the region’s security crisis, noting that the board comprises respected figures from the 19 northern states who would offer a more practical approach to the problem.
“We’ve been talking and talking through various papers. But today, with the inauguration of this committee, we believe we are ready to really start the job properly,” he said.
The monarch pledged the traditional institution’s full backing for the board, offering local knowledge and round-the-clock consultation. He also stressed that the fight against insecurity must transcend religious and ethnic lines, describing unity as the North’s greatest strength.
Recalling that northern traditional rulers had opposed extremism since submitting recommendations to the Northern Governors’ Forum in 2014, the Sultan urged governors to sustain funding for the initiative, warning that no meaningful intervention could succeed without adequate resources.
Yayale, Agwai To Lead Board
The Northern Governors had earlier named a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed, and a former Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin Luther Agwai (retd.), as co-chairmen of the trust fund’s Board of Trustees, which was formally inaugurated in Kaduna on Wednesday. Other members include a former Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, and a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya (retd.).
The fund is expected to mobilise resources, improve security coordination and strengthen intelligence collaboration in support of federal security agencies.
Governors Pledge ₦1bn Monthly
Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, said the trust fund would help the region tackle insecurity in a more organised and accountable manner. He disclosed that the 19 northern states and their local governments had agreed to contribute ₦1bn monthly for one year to finance the initiative, urging defaulting states to redeem their pledges.
Yahaya warned that the fund must not become another bureaucratic structure, stressing that its success would be judged by tangible results in security coordination, intelligence sharing and protection of lives and property. He reaffirmed the forum’s support for President Bola Tinubu’s security reforms, including the proposed state police framework, while noting that military action alone would not end insecurity without investment in education, agriculture and youth empowerment.
The security trust fund was first agreed upon by northern governors in December 2025, but only a handful of states — including Nasarawa, Gombe, Borno, Kebbi and Kaduna — have so far kept up with their monthly contributions.
The Sultan closed on a note of optimism, saying unity, commitment and divine support would see the region overcome its security challenges.
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