President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured North East governors that his administration will act on their demands for better security and infrastructure in the region.
The governors, led by Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, met with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday, September 3.
They presented a list of requests ranging from continued military operations in Lake Chad and Sambisa Forest to renewed oil exploration at Kolmani and Lake Chad frontier wells.
The meeting followed a retreat in Jalingo, Taraba State, where the governors reviewed ongoing federal projects.
They argued that the North East was lagging behind other regions, especially the South West and North West, in terms of development.
Zulum, speaking on behalf of his colleagues, said the governors were ready to work with Tinubu but stressed that federal backing was essential.
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Key projects on their list include the Kano–Maiduguri Road, the Port Harcourt–Jos–Bauchi–Maiduguri railway, and interstate roads such as Bama–Mubi–Yola and Bauchi–Gombe–Damaturu.
In response, Tinubu praised the governors for supporting security agencies with civilian JTFs and promised to explore the idea of state policing.
“Politics apart, we can work with the legislature to eliminate political concerns from state police and make it indigenous to the community. That will provide an additional buffer for safety and effectiveness,” he said.
The president also dismissed distractions from opposition politics.
“Whichever way it is, I am not distracted. I am solidly focused on what lies ahead. Politics will happen at its time, but working together, as we have been doing, is the way to build the Nigeria of our dreams,” Tinubu said.
Zulum, meanwhile, praised the president’s commitment to fighting insurgency, tackling natural disasters, and improving agriculture, saying the governors were fully aligned with Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.