The 19 Northern State Governors Forum (NSGF) holding in Kaduna, North-West Nigeria, has suffered a setback as many of the governors shunned the event.

Eight states sent no representatives while five governors sent their deputies. Governors that neither came nor were represented at the meeting are governor Ibrahim Gaidam Yobe, Umar Garba of Taraba, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Jonah Jang of Plateau, Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa, Abdulazeez Yari of Zamfara and Aliyu Wakili of Sokoto.

Governors of Bauchi, Jigawa, Katsina, Kogi, Gombe, Borno were represented by their deputies.

Governor Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi, Abdulhai Ahmed of Kwara, Musa Kwankwaso Kano, Suswan of Benue, Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger and the host governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State were in attendance.

Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, in his opening remarks said they are in Kaduna to discuss the way out of the rampant insurgency situation in the state.

“We are here to proffer a lasting solution to the problem that is threatening to destabilise the region,” he said.

Other issues on the agenda of the meeting include the position of the New Nigerian Development Company (NNDC), Sardauna Foundation, the issue of Almajiranci as well as the Fulani and farmers’ dispute in the region.

The meeting went into a close-door session at about 11:35am. The meeting was still on-going as at the time of filling this report.

•Photo shows NGGF Chairman, Babangida Aliyu.