The Gombe State Executive Council has approved the sum of N337 million for the training of 700 forest guards as part of efforts to strengthen security in the state.
The Commissioner for Finance, Muhammad Magaji, disclosed this after the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Muhammadu Yahaya in Gombe on Friday.
Magaji said, “Council ratified the approval of His Excellency for the payment of N337 million for the 700 trainees from Gombe that are to be trained under the national security arrangement by the Office of the National Security Adviser.”
He explained that the trainees would be drawn from existing vigilante and other non-conventional security groups within the state.
“These are forest guards that are to be trained in Osun State. This is series four and Gombe has 700 members who will be going. They are already being screened and will be leaving next week for the training,” he said.
According to him, the initiative is aimed at reinforcing security across the state.
“We all know that the police cannot fully secure our environment because of a lack of numbers. This arrangement is to provide more hands. The vigilantes and other non-conventional security agencies will now be pulled in and become forest guards,” Magaji added.
On regional commitments, the commissioner also confirmed that each northern state is contributing N12 billion in 2026 to the Regional Security Trust Fund under the Northern States Governors Forum.
“Every state is expected to contribute N1 billion monthly throughout 2026, which amounts to N12 billion for the year. That provision has already been captured in the 2026 budget and payments have commenced,” he said.
Magaji further disclosed that each member state is contributing N500 million toward the establishment of a permanent secretariat for the Northern Governors Forum.
In addition, he announced the approval of N18.9 billion for the construction of a 19.96-kilometre road project in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area, which includes a 1.5-kilometre stormwater drainage system, to be completed within 12 months.