The Senate has announced plans to hold regional meetings with critical stakeholders across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria to address the country’s insecurity challenges.
According to the Leader of the Senate and Chairman of the Senate Ad hoc Committee on National Security Summit, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the meetings aimed to identify the root causes of insecurity and devise pragmatic measures to restore peace and stability in troubled areas.
Bamidele said that the committee would engage with critical stakeholders, including victims of armed violence, traditional institutions, government agencies, military and intelligence/security agencies, and local governments, to gather diverse perspectives on the security challenges facing the country.
The Senate leader emphasised that peace and security were essential for meaningful development and that no amount of investment in infrastructure can yield positive outcomes without a stable security environment.
He highlighted the various security challenges facing different regions of the country, including banditry and kidnapping in the North-West, terrorism and extremist violence in the North-East, farmers-herders crisis in the North-Central, separatism and gang violence in the South-East, environmental conflict and oil theft in the South-South, and abduction and ritual killing in the South-West.
Bamidele said no amount of money invested in infrastructural development would translate to any meaningful outcome without peace and security.
“For this reason, transforming pervasive insecurity to enduring peace is at the heart of the national security summit.
“To achieve this objective, the committee will first hold meetings with critical stakeholders in each geo-political zone.
“This is with a view to unravelling the root causes of security challenges, identifying key actors behind it and devising measures for their effective management.
“The committee shall also engage victims of armed violence in different parts of the federation for the purpose of seeking diverse perspectives to these challenges.
“We will interact with our people on ground; listen to their fear and apprehension and get their suggestions on how to transform insecurity to effective order,” he said.
Bamidele further explained that Nigeria can only be on the path of development and prosperity when peace and unity are guaranteed.
“Therefore, the committee will work round the clock to come up with far-reaching measures that will bring about peace and stability.
“The summit will involve every segment of Nigerian society; traditional institutions, government agencies, military and intelligence/security agencies, and local government among others.
“Providing insight into the country’s security dynamics, the senate leader noted the ugly trends of banditry and kidnapping in the North-West.
“Terrorism and extremist violence in the North-East; farmers-herders crisis in the North-Central; separatism and gang violence in the South-East.
“Environmental conflict and oil theft in the South-South as well as abduction and ritual killing in the South-West.”
The outcome of the summit is expected to provide a roadmap for addressing the country’s security concerns and promoting development and prosperity.
