In a decisive move to address Nigeria’s growing insecurity, the Senate has announced plans to hold consultative meetings with key stakeholders and victims of armed violence across the country’s six geo-political zones.
The initiative, aimed at identifying the root causes of insecurity and recommending practical solutions, was disclosed by the Senate Leader and Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on National Security Summit, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, during the committee’s inaugural meeting held Wednesday at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
Bamidele stressed that meaningful development is unattainable without peace, stating, “No amount of money invested in infrastructure will yield tangible results in the absence of security. Transforming widespread insecurity into lasting peace is at the heart of this summit.”
The 20-member ad-hoc committee, constituted by the Senate, includes influential lawmakers such as Senator Tahir Monguno, Senator Abba Moro, Senator Osita Ngwu, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Senator Ahmed Lawan, and Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, among others. The committee is tasked with facilitating a national dialogue and formulating policy recommendations that can restore order across Nigeria.
According to Bamidele, the committee will embark on a series of engagements with communities, traditional institutions, civil society organisations, security agencies, and other relevant actors in each zone to gain local insights and perspectives. He added that interactions will not be limited to officials, but will also include direct engagement with victims of armed violence in affected areas.
Providing context on the scale of the challenge, the Senate Leader noted that various regions are battling different forms of insecurity. He cited the escalation of banditry and kidnapping in the North-West, terrorism in the North-East, and worsening farmer-herder conflicts in the North-Central. He further expressed concern over the rise in separatist violence and kidnapping in the South-East, ritual killings and abductions in the South-West, and environmental conflicts, oil theft, piracy, and vandalism in the South-South.
Bamidele lamented that insecurity has now spread to areas previously considered relatively stable, mentioned states like Kwara and Benue where the situation continue to deteriorate.
He assured Nigerians that the committee would leave no stone unturned in its effort to gather robust ideas and design implementable measures that can bring about national stability.
“The national security summit will be inclusive,” he said, “drawing input from military and intelligence agencies, traditional rulers, government institutions, media professionals, and other patriotic Nigerians with valuable contributions to make. Our goal is to ensure that every Nigerian, regardless of where they live, can experience peace, safety, and the freedom to pursue their aspirations.”
