Northern Governors Delay Kaduna Security Summit as Urgent North-West Security Dialogue Takes Priority

The Northern Governors Forum has postponed its highly anticipated regional security summit earlier scheduled to take place in Kaduna on November 29, 2025, citing the need to prioritize an urgent security dialogue with the Senate Committee on Security. The shift, announced late Thursday, comes at a tense moment for northern Nigeria, where escalating b@nditry, rising t*rrorist activity, and persistent community-level violence continue to stretch state governments and security agencies to their limits.

Sources familiar with the decision say the seven governors of the North-West geopolitical zone opted to attend a closed-door meeting in Abuja with members of the Senate Committee on Security, where they were expected to present updates on new threats, ongoing operations, and joint strategies aimed at restoring stability. The Kaduna summit, although regarded as an important step in articulating a broader regional approach to insecurity, was considered less urgent than the Abuja engagement, which was convened to address the rapid deterioration of security in parts of Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa, and Kano States.

The Senate Committee had summoned the governors following a sharp rise in attacks over the last few weeks, with several communities reporting fresh displacement, livestock theft, destruction of farmland, and kidnapping incidents that security analysts say reflect a more coordinated resurgence of non-state armed groups in the region. Lawmakers reportedly sought direct briefings from state leaders to help shape actionable recommendations for federal intervention, budgetary adjustments, and improved intelligence-sharing across security formations.

The Northern Governors Forum, in a brief statement, explained that rescheduling the Kaduna summit became necessary so “all affected governors can participate fully and cohesively in both engagements.” Although no new date has been officially announced, officials hinted that the summit may now be held in early December, depending on the outcomes of the Abuja meeting.

The postponed summit was expected to bring together governors, traditional rulers, heads of security agencies, civil society experts, and international partners to evaluate persistent security gaps and propose long-term solutions for restoring peace across northern Nigeria. Among the key topics slated for discussion were cross-border collaboration, community policing, improved funding for security operations, and the adoption of modern surveillance technologies to track criminal movements across the vast northern terrain.

Security analysts say the postponement, though inconvenient, underscores the severity of the crisis the North-West faces. Over the last decade, the region has battled overlapping security challenges, including armed b@ndit groups entrenched in forest reserves, violent extremist cells seeking to expand their influence, farmer-herder tensions worsened by climate pressures, and a thriving kidnap-for-ransom industry that has defied multiple joint military operations. Despite efforts such as Operation Hadarin Daji and several state-led initiatives, many communities continue to live under near-constant threat, with local economies disrupted and thousands displaced.

The Abuja dialogue with the Senate Committee reportedly focused on three urgent priorities: the need for improved coordination among security agencies operating across state borders, the deployment of advanced intelligence tools to preempt attacks, and the restructuring of funding mechanisms to ensure that frontline states receive faster support. Governors were also said to have pushed for greater autonomy in managing local security outfits and community-based intelligence networks, arguing that they possess firsthand knowledge of the terrain and criminal networks operating in their jurisdictions.

Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, who was set to host the now-delayed summit, expressed optimism that the Abuja meeting would strengthen regional security efforts. He noted that collaboration between the executive and legislative arms is essential in designing a practical and sustainable security framework, especially as northern states continue to grapple with the social and economic consequences of prolonged instability. Although Kaduna has been a hotspot for years, recent incidents in neighboring states have intensified the sense of urgency across the region.

Civil society groups have responded with mixed emotions. While some stakeholders welcomed the prioritization of the Senate dialogue, seeing it as an opportunity to influence top-level policy decisions, others worry that further delays could slow down momentum on regional cooperation, which is seen as a critical component in tackling highly mobile and well-armed criminal groups. Analysts emphasize that security in the North-West cannot be achieved through isolated efforts, reminding leaders that criminal networks frequently move across borders, shifting pressure from one state to another.

Residents of vulnerable communities say they hope these back-to-back meetings will go beyond rhetoric. Many have grown increasingly frustrated, arguing that security summits, high-level visits, and committee hearings have become frequent but rarely translate into immediate improvement on the ground. For communities that have lost loved ones, property, and livelihoods, every postponement feels like a reminder of how deeply entrenched the crisis has become.

However, lawmakers insist the Abuja dialogue is not merely procedural. According to insiders, the Senate Committee on Security is considering significant legislative amendments to enhance operational autonomy for security agencies, streamline counterterrorism coordination, and establish a specialized fund dedicated to supporting states with high-risk security needs. Any decisions arising from this process may directly influence the agenda for the rescheduled Kaduna summit.

Meanwhile, leaders across the northern political landscape are calling for patience, stressing that the region is entering a decisive phase in its long battle against insecurity. The postponed summit is expected to adopt the outcomes of the Abuja dialogue and incorporate them into a new regional framework that aligns both state-level initiatives and federal policies.

As the North-West governors continue their engagement in Abuja, the stakes remain high. The region’s stability is crucial not only for the safety of millions of residents but also for Nigeria’s overall economic and political health. With critical agricultural belts disrupted, major highways unsafe, and rural communities struggling to recover, many observers say northern Nigeria cannot afford further missteps or delays.

In the coming days, all eyes will be on the governors and the Senate Committee as Nigerians wait to see whether this latest round of consultations will bring substantive change. While the postponement of the Kaduna summit may have raised concerns, leaders insist that the decision reflects a commitment to tackling insecurity from multiple angles—one that prioritizes immediate national-level coordination while preparing the ground for a comprehensive regional strategy.

For now, the North remains hopeful but watchful, as citizens look beyond meetings and press statements, yearning for tangible actions that will finally restore peace to a region that has endured far too long.