Northern Governors Inaugurate Security Trust Fund Board to Tackle Rising Insecurity

By, Usman David 

The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has inaugurated the Board of Trustees of the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund (NNSTF) as part of renewed efforts to address the growing security challenges across the region.

The forum disclosed this in a statement signed and issued to journalists on Wednesday, describing the inauguration as a significant step towards strengthening regional security collaboration through a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach.

According to the statement, the Board of Trustees brings together experienced military officers, security experts, public administrators and policymakers whose collective expertise is expected to improve intelligence sharing, security coordination and sustainable peace across Northern Nigeria.

The board is co-chaired by former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Mahmoud Yayale Ahmed, CFR, and former Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin Luther Agwai, CFR.

The forum said Ahmed’s extensive experience in public administration, policy coordination and institutional leadership would provide strategic direction for the trust fund, while Agwai’s decades of military leadership and international peacekeeping experience would strengthen its operational and security outlook.

Other members of the board include former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Umar Farouk Yahaya (Rtd); former Deputy Inspector General of Police (Research and Statistics), DIG Hafiz Mohammed Inuwa (Rtd); former Director of Sports, Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Kabiru Aliyu (Rtd); 

Borno State Commissioner for Security, Prof. Usman Tar; Senator and retired Air Vice Marshal Napoleon Bali; former National Coordinator of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, Maj. Gen. A. M. Dikko (Rtd); former Assistant Inspector General of Police, Sunday Babaji (Rtd); 

former Chief of Policy and Plans at the Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Farouk Omeiza Umar (Rtd); former Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation, Maj. Gen. Muhammad Sani (Rtd); former Head of Service, Muhammad Mujtaba Isa; retired Chief Superintendent of Customs, 

Alhaji Adamu Tanko Umar; retired Head of Service, Malam Abubakar Mustafa; retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Sani Usman Mohammed; former Coordinator of the Counter Terrorism Centre in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Bello Sarkin Yaki (Rtd); and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Barr. Boss Mustapha, CFR.

The statement noted that the board members were carefully selected based on their wealth of experience in military operations, policing, intelligence, public administration and policy formulation.

It explained that the composition of the board reflects the forum’s commitment to adopting a comprehensive approach to addressing insecurity, including strengthening counter-insurgency operations, improving intelligence gathering, enhancing border security, curbing the proliferation of illicit arms and fostering stronger collaboration among security agencies.

The forum expressed confidence that the newly inaugurated board would provide strategic leadership for the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund and support efforts aimed at restoring peace, improving security coordination and promoting long-term stability across the 19 Northern states.