Northern Leaders Hold Emergency Security Summit as Kidnappings Surge Across the Region

An emergency meeting of northern leaders is underway in Kaduna as concerns deepen over the renewed wave of kidnappings and banditry across the region. Although official details of the gathering are yet to be released, a top government source revealed that the discussions are centered on pressing security challenges, especially the alarming rise in abductions and violent attacks in recent weeks.

Governors Uba Sani (Kaduna), Mohammed Umar Bago (Niger), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), and Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa) are present at the meeting. Other states are represented by their deputy governors.

Prominent traditional rulers, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, are also attending the high-level security session, which is being held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House in Kaduna on Monday.

In recent months, northern states have faced a troubling resurgence of attacks, particularly on educational institutions, forcing several state governments to temporarily shut down schools for safety concerns.

Just last week, gunmen stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, abducting at least 24 schoolgirls and killing the vice principal. Days later, St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Niger State, were attacked, resulting in the abduction of over 300 students and staff—though about 50 students managed to escape.

Kogi State has also reported a series of disturbing incidents, including the kidnapping of travelers and deadly attacks on places of worship, further heightening public anxiety.

The outcome of the ongoing emergency meeting is expected to shape coordinated regional measures aimed at restoring security and public confidence.