–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) – From Mike SOGBOLA, North-East Bureau Chief::

A communique is expected later in the day as Governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states, making the North East Region, are meeting in Maiduguri the Borno State capital.

The meeting, by forum of northeast governors, is a follow up to the first held March in Gombe, which was hosted by Governor Inuwa Yahaya.

Borno Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum started receiving the governors from Friday afternoon to earlier today in Maiduguri.

The opening ceremony held the government house in Maiduguri after which the governors went into closed door. Zulum welcomed his colleagues to set the tone.

Present were governors of Adamawa, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri; Bauchi, Bala Mohammed and Gombe, Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya. Taraba and Yobe were represented by deputy governors of Yobe.

Zulum, in his remarks, laid emphasis on security challenges facing the region, problems of unemployment, over dependence on federal allocation and how to move the region forward.

The governors will in addition to discussing security and development issues, receive presentations from the Northeast Development Commission, NEDC led by its managing director; Lafarge Ashaka also by its managing director; the GMD NNPC; the AIGP Zone 15 Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Army by the theatre commander 7 Division.

Before today’s (Saturday) meeting, a technical committee comprising Secretaries of Governments from the six states and focal persons from the NEDC had deliberated for four days to come up with an agenda.

The team chaired by the SSG, Gombe state, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi met governor Zulum to brief him ahead of the meeting that is now holding.