Senate to engage survivors, stakeholders in national security dialogue

The Nigerian Senate has announced plans to convene regional consultations across the country aimed at tackling the root causes of the nation’s escalating security crisis.

Speaking on Thursday at the inaugural meeting of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee on National Security Summit, Senate Leader and committee chairman, Opeyemi Bamidele, said the initiative marks a shift toward grassroots engagement to address growing insecurity nationwide.

“No amount of investment in infrastructure will yield meaningful results without peace and stability,” Bamidele stated.

“We must first address insecurity if we hope to rebuild this nation.”

The 20-member committee—comprising key Senate leaders from Defence, Army, Navy, Interior, and Police Affairs—will consult widely with survivors of violence, traditional rulers, community leaders, and civil society actors in all six geopolitical zones.

Among its members are Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno, Minority Leader Abba Moro, and Senator Adams Oshiomhole.

Bamidele said the summit would not be limited to security agencies but would also seek direct input from those most affected by violence, making it an inclusive and participatory process.

“We will go to the people, listen to their fears and hopes, and gather their ideas on how to turn disorder into order,” he said.

The Senate’s approach acknowledges that security challenges differ by region—from banditry and kidnappings in the North-West, to insurgency in the North-East, herder-farmer clashes in the North-Central, separatist unrest and abductions in the South-East, ritual killings in the South-West, and oil theft and piracy in the South-South.

“What began as isolated violence has now become widespread.

“Even states like Kwara, once considered safe, are now affected. Benue continues to bleed daily,” Bamidele lamented.

He warned that if not urgently addressed, threats such as oil theft, ransom kidnappings, and communal violence could lead to long-term national destabilisation.

The upcoming summit will bring together security and intelligence agencies, traditional institutions, local and state governments, the media, and private citizens to develop strategic solutions.

“We must move away from reactive firefighting to proactive dialogue and strategic action,” Bamidele stressed.

The regional consultations are set to begin in the coming weeks, with dates and venues to be announced by the Senate Committee on National Security Summit.

The Senate emphasized that addressing Nigeria’s security challenges requires the collective effort of all citizens—and the time to act is now.