Deep Thought

 Northern Security Trust Fund: ₦1bn is a beginning, not the solution III. By Prof. M. K. Othman Northern Nigeria, home to millions of us, is rich in fertile farmland, abundant sunshine, youthful populations, strategic trade routes, and mineral resources. Yet it remains the least developed region, with massive abject poverty and a heavy dependence on Abuja to finance its future. Although this is a general Nigerian problem, its consequences are most visible in the North, where insecurity feeds directly on economic fragility. The central argument of this article is simple: the North cannot achieve lasting progress unless security and development are squarely addressed together. Ordinary citizens should reasonably expect much from this new Fund. We have all become understandably skeptical after witnessing countless interventions announced with great optimism but implemented with little transparency. This Security Trust Fund cannot afford that fate, and the personalities involved cannot...

 Northern Security Trust Fund: ₦1 Billion Is a Beginning, Not the Solution II By Prof. M.K. Othman   This piece is a corollary to last week’s write-up, which posed several questions: What are the mandates of the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund? Will the Trust Fund end up similar to Trust Funds established a few decades ago without tangible results? Will the state governors fulfill their one-billion-naira monthly pledge? Answering these questions and offering recommendations to make the Trust Fund effective and sustainable are pertinent to the success of the high-integrity personalities who serve on the fund's board of trustees. These skilled personalities have a high capacity and are endowed with a wealth of experience from diverse backgrounds; it would be highly desirable for them to accomplish their assignment and uplift the region and the nation from the dreadful, nightmarish situation that insecurity has landed us in. The trustees' mandate is explicit and significant:...

 Northern Security Trust Fund: ₦1 Billion Is a Beginning, Not the Solution By Prof. M.K. Othman Confession: I am not a security expert, but my interest in security matters has led me to read widely and to write more than 10 articles on insecurity in Nigeria over the last 5 years. I also submitted a 12-page security memorandum during a stakeholders’ security interaction with the Katsina State Governor, Mallam Dikko Umar Radda, in September 2025. I also had a one-on-one interview on security challenges with the current Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa OFR (Rtd), when he was Chief of Defence Staff, and wrote a 2-part article, publishing the interview in my column and in several other online papers. These experiences have deepened my conviction that insecurity in Nigeria demands urgent, informed, and collective action. As a concerned citizen, born, raised and educated in the northwest, Nigeria, like millions of others who call this region home, I grew up knowing a N...