Northern Governors’ Forum Meets in Kaduna to Address Escalating Violence

Northern Governors‘ Forum (NGF) convened a critical meeting at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House in Kaduna to tackle the escalating security crisis across northern Nigeria, where over 133 people were killed in attacks between April 24 and May 7, 2025. The meeting, chaired by Gombe State Governor Muhammad Yahaya and confirmed by Ismaila Misilli, Director-General of Press Affairs at Gombe Government House, prioritized security following a surge in violence attributed to Boko Haram, ISWAP, and the emerging Mahmuda group, also known as the Mallam Group, per Punch and Naija News. The gathering, attended by governors from the 19 northern states and traditional rulers, including the Sultan of Sokoto, followed a preparatory North-West Governors’ meeting on Friday night, per The Sun and X post @thesunnigeria.

Recent attacks underscored the urgency: on May 7, Boko Haram killed an army captain and two soldiers in Izge, Gwoza, Borno State, as confirmed by the Emir of Gwoza, HRH Alhaji Mohammed Shehu Timta, per TheGuildNG. On May 6, suspected armed herders killed APC chieftain Akaabo Johnson and three others in Mbatsada, Benue State, per Saturday PUNCH. Earlier incidents included 25 deaths in Bauchi’s Alkaleri LGA on May 4 and 11 soldiers killed by ISWAP in Yobe on May 2, per Crisis Group. The NGF, joined by Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa, aimed to devise enhanced security measures, building on an October 2024 joint meeting with traditional rulers that addressed similar challenges, per 21st Century Chronicle.

The violence, compounded by banditry and herder-farmer clashes, has displaced over 2 million and left 8.3 million needing aid, per GlobalR2P. X posts, like @SaharaReporters and @Barde6767, highlighted public frustration and calls for accountability, with @Chiefpressngs noting the governors’ concern over 250 deaths in two weeks prior to April 20. Despite military efforts, including airstrikes in Borno and Zamfara, the spread of groups like Mahmuda to North-Central states like Benue signals a deepening crisis, threatening regional stability ahead of 2027 elections, per Mc Ebisco.