Senate launches Regional Security Summits to combat Nigeria’s rising insecurity

In response to Nigeria’s escalating security challenges, the Senate has unveiled plans for regional stakeholder meetings to identify the root causes of insecurity and devise sustainable solutions.

The initiative, announced by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Senate Leader and Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on National Security Summit, underscores that peace and stability are prerequisites for meaningful development.

“No investment in infrastructure can yield results without security,” Bamidele emphasized during the committee’s inaugural meeting on Wednesday at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

The 20-member committee, tasked with driving a national security summit, includes prominent senators such as Chief Whip Tahir Monguno, Minority Leader Abba Moro, and committee chairs like Adams Oshiomhole (Interior), Ahmed Lawan (Defence), and Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (Army).

The committee aims to transform pervasive insecurity into enduring peace by engaging stakeholders across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones. These regional meetings will uncover the drivers of insecurity, identify key perpetrators, and propose effective management strategies.

Bamidele highlighted the diverse security threats plaguing Nigeria: banditry and kidnapping in the North-west, terrorism in the North-east, farmers-herders conflicts in the North-central, separatism and gang violence in the South-east, oil theft and environmental conflicts in the South-south, and abductions with ritual killings in the South-west.

He noted the alarming spread of insecurity, with states like Kwara and Benue increasingly affected, and economic sabotage from oil asset vandalism and piracy undermining national progress.

A key component of the summit involves direct engagement with victims of armed violence to capture diverse perspectives and grassroots insights.

“We will listen to our people’s fears and suggestions to transform insecurity into order,” Bamidele assured, stressing the inclusion of traditional institutions, government agencies, security forces, local governments, media, and public-spirited individuals.

The committee is committed to working tirelessly to deliver far-reaching measures for peace and stability, which Bamidele described as the foundation for Nigeria’s development and prosperity.

The national security summit aims to foster a collaborative, inclusive approach, ensuring every Nigerian can live and work in peace, regardless of location or status.

By addressing region-specific challenges and amplifying local voices, the Senate seeks to craft pragmatic, evidence-based solutions to restore stability and curb economic sabotage.

This initiative reflects a strategic pivot toward proactive governance, positioning security as the bedrock of Nigeria’s path to sustainable growth and unity.