Governors of the 19 Nothern States and traditional rulers of the region are meeting in Kaduna over security challenges bedevilling the region.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two-day meeting, which opened on Thursday, is also being attended by Senate President, Ahmad Lawal, Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari and Information Minister, Lai Mohammed.
Others are National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Monguno, Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu and Director General, State Security Service, Yusuf Bichi.
The participants are expected to discuss current security challenges bedevilling the Northern region and youth unemployment.
Governors at the meeting, holding at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, include those of Plateau, Adamawa, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Jigawa and Katsina.
Niger, Zamfara, Yobe, Benue, Kogi, Kabbi were represented by Deputy Governors of the states, among others.
At their last meeting on Nov. 2, 2020, the Northern Governors had set up two committees to push for statutory roles for traditional rulers and another on youth and civil societies.
The committee on roles of traditional rulers is chaired by the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage, with two representatives from the National Assembly, one from each of the three zones, and a minister as members.
The Committee on Youth and Civil Societies has the Emir of Zazzau, Amb. Ahmad Bamalli as Chairman, with one representative of elders, youth, women, persons with disability as members from each of the three zones.
The November meeting had also backed efforts to regulate the spread of fake news through the social media.