By Uzair Adam
In response to the escalating security challenges across the country, the Nigerian Senate has resolved to convene a two-day National Security Summit in Abuja, bringing together key stakeholders from all levels of government and traditional institutions to chart a path toward improved national safety.
The summit, according to the Senate, will serve as a platform for generating actionable recommendations aimed at reforming Nigeria’s security architecture.
It is expected to influence policy direction, with the Senate urging the Federal Government to consider and implement proposals emerging from the discussions.
The decision to organize the summit followed a motion titled “Urgent Need for a National Security Summit,” presented during plenary by Senator Ibrahim Jimoh, who represents Ondo South and chairs the Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs.
The motion was co-sponsored by Senators Zam Titus (Benue North-West), Peter Onyeka Nwebonyl (Ebonyi North), and Ngwu Osita (Enugu West).
While presenting the motion, Senator Jimoh linked the country’s worsening security issues to global instability, referencing the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war, strained North-South relations, and economic tensions like the U.S. tariff war.
He noted how these global developments have intensified food insecurity and disrupted efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Jimoh also expressed deep concern about the persistent violence within Nigeria, highlighting the spread of banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping across both urban and rural areas.
He urged a strategic shift in Nigeria’s approach to combating insecurity, calling for enhanced intelligence gathering, increased military funding, and non-military solutions.
Citing historical political unrest in Nigeria, including the 1953 Kano riots and electoral crises of the 1980s, Jimoh stressed the importance of proactive measures as the country approaches another election cycle.
He reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to national peace and encouraged alignment with the administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”
The Senate emphasized that the upcoming summit would not be the first of its kind. Former Senate President Ahmad Lawan had also convened a similar initiative during the 9th Assembly, which laid groundwork for national security dialogue.
Lawan had pointed to the Senate’s role in guiding conversations toward sustainable solutions.
The new summit is anticipated to build on previous efforts and deliver comprehensive, practical strategies to restore peace and security across Nigeria.