Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya has asserted that notwithstanding significant regional progress achieved over the past six years, the Boko Haram insurgency remains in a weakened state rather than being fully defeated.
The Governor, who is also Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF), said this during the 13th meeting of the forum in Maiduguri on Saturday.
“Boko Haram has been weakened but not defeated, and we still see attacks on our communities. Banditry and communal clashes are emerging as new threats,” he said.
He noted that the lingering insecurity in the region had left many displaced citizens unable to return safely to their homes.
He pointed out that critical regional infrastructure projects, such as the Mambilla hydropower project, regional railway connections, and broadband expansion, remain unrealized, while critical health and educational deficits continue to plague the region.
Reflecting on the journey of the North East Governors’ Forum (NEGF) since its inception in Gombe in March 2020, Governor Inuwa said the coalition was born out of necessity.
“When we first met in Gombe, we did so out of necessity. The challenges confronting our region were greater than any one state could solve alone,” he said, emphasizing that insecurity, banditry, cross-border crime, poor infrastructure, energy deficits, and the humanitarian crisis do not respect state boundaries.
Despite the daunting hurdles, the governor acknowledged tangible progress achieved by the forum across multiple sectors, including infrastructure, power generation, the economy, human capital development, and security.
He spotlighted the Kolmani exploration project as a beacon of great promise, stressing, however, that this potential must translate into actual production, jobs, and revenue.
He also warned regarding the region’s natural wealth: “Our solid minerals must be mined legally and for the benefit of our people, not to fund criminality.”
Addressing the region’s human capital challenges, Governor Inuwa urged his colleagues to maintain a spirit of brutal honesty.
“Too many of our children are still out of school, and our health indicators remain among the weakest in the country. We must be honest with ourselves and with our people. The challenges we set out to confront in 2020 have not gone away,” he stated.
Saturday’s meeting carried profound historical significance, marking what is expected to be the final gathering of the forum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The five of the founding governors—from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, and Yobe— are set to complete their constitutional two-term tenures in the coming months; the assembly served as a crucial moment for stock-taking, reflection, and leadership transition
What You Should Know
Governor Inuwa Yahaya highlighted during a regional meeting that despite significant security strides over the last six years, extremist groups like Boko Haram and emerging threats such as banditry continue to disrupt peace in the North East.
- Positive Impact: Honest assessments by regional leaders help direct focus toward crucial developmental gaps, infrastructure projects, and better resource allocation.
- Potential Concerns: Ongoing insecurity, infrastructural deficits, and high out-of-school rates could delay economic recovery and keep displaced citizens from returning to their homes safely.
