Nigeria’s Minister for Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has reiterated the incumbent government is winning the war against insecurity.
He says the country’s security remains a top priority in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
OsunDailyNG reports that Idris made this remark in Abuja on Thursday during the inaugural international conference hosted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), titled “Interrogating the Root Cause of Violence in the Sahel and Its Impact on Nigeria’s Territorial Integrity.”
The event united experts, policymakers, and key stakeholders to evaluate and suggest strategies for overcoming the obstacles presented by violence in the Sahel area.
In his address, Idris said Tinubu is committed to addressing the problematic state of insecurity in the nation by enhancing investments in technology, personnel, and intelligence collection.
The Minister recognized that the Sahel region has turned into a hub of turmoil, violence, terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and violent extremism, with a significant impact on Nigeria due to the nation’s porous borders with the region.
“Nigeria shares a long and porous border with several Sahelian countries caught up in conflict, making us vulnerable to the spillover effects of the conflict. This not only threatens our security but also challenges our capacity to maintain effective control over our border.
“Several scholars and experts had earlier attributed these challenges to socioeconomic marginalization, weak governance structures, environmental degradation and climate change, transnational organized crime, and illegal trafficking in arms among others but the spillover effect of these conflicts is taking its toll on our economy, internal security and the socio-economic well-being of our people,” Idris said.
No Single Country Can Tackle The Insecurity Alone
According to Idris, no single country can handle the issue of insecurity by itself.
Speaking further, the Information Minister stated that the fundamental reasons behind the violence in the Sahel, such as economic exclusion, inadequate governance systems, ecological problems, and criminal networks, are significant.
He mentioned, however, that the Federal Government is dedicated to tackling these fundamental problems both within the country and in cooperation with global allies.
He said: “The violence in the Sahel is not an isolated issue, and no single country can tackle it alone. Therefore, Nigeria has stepped up its engagement with its neighbours and other regional and international partners, and it’s strengthening joint military operations such as the Multinational Joint Task Force and also supporting initiatives that aim to stabilize the Sahel region.
“On the home front, security has remained a top priority in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and through investment in equipment, manpower, acquisition of more fighting platforms, and intelligence gathering, we are winning the war against insecurity.
“Tacking these challenges would require collaboration between government agencies, international partners, and security experts in order to safeguard Nigeria’s territorial integrity and contribute to lasting peace and stability in the Sahel region.”
Idris urged specialists gathered at the summit to thoroughly examine the underlying reasons behind the armed conflicts in the Sahel, aiming to create groundbreaking approaches to address the obstacles.
The inaugural lecture of the NAN was attended by important stakeholders from both the national and international levels, featuring former head of state, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, who chaired the event, and Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, who delivered the keynote address.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was the honoured guest at the summit, was represented by the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu.
Other distinguished guests included the Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa; the Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Umar Dikko Radda; the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, and the Minister of Steel Development, Alhaji Shuaibu Abubakar.
