North West summit: Uba Sani, defence minister push new strategies against insecurity

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has called for a comprehensive security strategy that combines military action, community involvement, and long-term development to tackle the persistent insecurity in Nigeria’s North West region.

Speaking at the Public Hearing of the North West Zonal Security Summit organised by the Senate Adhoc Committee on National Security Summit in Kaduna on Saturday, the Governor proposed the establishment of a North-West Theatre Command that would place the Nigerian Army’s 1st and 8th Divisions under a single, coordinated structure.

He said the move would fast-track intelligence sharing, strengthen coordinated operations, and dismantle criminal networks operating across state borders.

Uba Sani also advocated the expansion of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to cover Nigeria’s border with Niger Republic, arguing that widening the regional cooperation framework would help disrupt arms trafficking routes, eliminate cross-border hideouts, and weaken criminal supply chains.

He, however, cautioned that military strength alone cannot defeat insecurity.

The Governor called for permanent State and Local Government Security Committees composed of traditional and religious leaders, civil society, women and youth groups, and security agencies to foster trust, mediate conflicts, and enhance early-warning systems.

Reiterating his support for State Police, Governor Sani noted that Nigeria’s centralised police structure cannot adequately secure a population of over 230 million, especially with fewer than 400,000 officers available nationwide.

Delivering his remarks on the theme, “Building Robust Regional Collaborations to Tackle Insecurity: Pathway for Securing the Future,” Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru Abubakar reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to building a strong and adaptable national security architecture.

He highlighted recent improvements in the region, including better movement across major routes in Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, and Kebbi, as well as increased activity in markets such as Kaura Namoda, Shinkafi, Batsari, Giwa, and Kajuru.

He added that previously displaced communities had returned, schools earlier shut due to insecurity had reopened, and farmers were back on their farmlands under improved security arrangements.

Despite the progress, the Minister admitted that the North West still faces threats from bandits, terror groups, and organised criminal networks.

In his keynote address, Prof. Muhammad Kabir Isa of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, argued that existing security responses are weak due to fragmentation, poor coordination, overstretched security institutions, inconsistent policies, and a lack of a unified regional framework.

He stressed that sustainable peace requires addressing deep-rooted drivers of insecurity and strengthening regional collaboration across borders, communities, and institutions.

Chairman of the Organising Committee, Senator Babangida Hussaini, said the summit aims to provide a platform for frank discussions on insecurity in the region.

He noted that a National Security Summit will hold in Abuja on December 1, where the collective views of Nigerians will be collated to inform national policy.

The Senator commended Governor Uba Sani for his exceptional support in hosting the summit, describing his involvement as unprecedented.