Senate holds security summit on North Central killings

The Senate on Thursday convened a security summit for the North Central zone in Jos, Plateau State, to address the worsening insecurity across the region.

The North Central zone—comprising Plateau, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Benue and Nasarawa states—has suffered a surge in violent attacks.

In Plateau State alone, more than 420 communities have been attacked and over 12,000 people killed in the past decade.

Leading the Senate delegation, Senator Abba Moro underscored the need for collective responsibility in tackling the nation’s security challenges.

“National security is a shared responsibility. It does not rest solely on the military or security agencies,” he said.

Moro, who represents Benue South, lamented the devastating toll of insurgency, militancy, banditry, kidnapping and other threats nationwide.

He said the summit was designed to produce “practical and actionable solutions” informed by contributions from security experts, traditional rulers, community leaders, civil society organisations and victims of violence.

“Please be assured that the input gathered today will shape the recommendations we submit to the Senate, guiding legislative interventions, budgetary priorities and policy reforms to strengthen our national security framework,” he added.

He noted that the summit’s resolutions would support a more comprehensive and enduring national security policy.

Communities, he said, must remain vigilant; state governments must strengthen local security initiatives; the private sector should form strategic partnerships; and the Federal Government must continue to reform and modernise security institutions in response to evolving threats.

In his remarks, Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State decried the loss of lives and livelihoods, blaming the insecurity on competition for land and political power, population pressures and criminal activities.

“It is time to stop pointing fingers and comparing who has lost more lives across religious or ethnic lines,” he said. “It is time to unite, join hands and confront this demon.”

Represented by his deputy, Josephine Piyo, Mutfwang commended the Senate for the initiative, describing the summit as a welcome step towards finding lasting solutions to the national security crisis.

The one-day summit drew a broad range of stakeholders—traditional rulers, youth groups, opinion leaders, security agencies and academics—who are expected to produce recommendations on the most effective strategies to tackle insecurity in the region.