Governors to boost security for Yuletide celebrations

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

In the early hours of Thursday morning, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), in its communiqué from its 8th meeting held on Wednesday, 17 December 2025, emphasised robust security measures for the festive season, continued rollout of World Bank-funded resilience programmes, and applauded primary health care advancements by members.

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun read the communiqué while briefing journalists, flanked by Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago. The forum, chaired by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, addressed pressing national concerns amid rising public safety risks and economic recovery efforts.

On security, the governors responded to a directive from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), pledging enhanced vigilance. “Governors are committed to strengthening interagency coordination, protecting critical infrastructure, and maintaining a visible security presence in identified hotspots to ensure a safe, incident-free festive period nationwide,” the communiqué stated.

The forum also hailed the World Bank’s confirmation of additional financing for the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) Programme. This approval allows ongoing disbursements to boost livelihoods, food security, public works, and resilience for vulnerable households. Governors vowed to “sustain implementation momentum, ensure timely reporting, and maximise fund utilisation to deliver measurable outcomes.”

In health sector highlights, the NGF celebrated the third Primary Health Care (PHC) Leadership Challenge Awards on 12 December, where Yobe State clinched the national overall win. Zamfara, Nasarawa, Abia, Rivers, and Osun states led their geopolitical zones, with Kwara, Gombe, Kaduna, Anambra, Bayelsa, and Ogun as first runners-up. “The results reflect the value of sustained political leadership and peer-driven accountability,” the governors noted, promising to amplify these efforts nationwide.