FG, North-West Govs’ll brainstorm to tame insecurity – Defence Minister

The Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar, says they will sit down with the North-West Governors to look at the recommendations of the peace and security summit to proffer workable solutions to insecurity in the zone.

Abubakar stated this at the two-day Peace and Security Summit organised by the North-West Governors’ Forum, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Monday in Katsina.

The theme of the summit is: “Regional Cooperation for securing lives and livelihoods”.

“In a few days, I assure you that we will  all sit down with the governors, look at the outcome and recommendations on the issues in this summit.

“We will visit state-by-state with all the security agencies to look at the security situation and recommendations from this summit to proffer workable solutions toward ending  insecurity in Nigeria.

“I know we can do it, we will finish this, together we will solve the problem of this insecurity, and together we will fight poverty and together we will bring Nigeria back on  track,” he assured.

Abubakar said the government was ready for all possible collaborations intended to end insecurity.

The minister said,  “We have opened for partnership, we have opened for collaboration, we have agreed for us to succeed, we must collaborate with the governors.”

He assured that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remained committed to ending insecurity not only in the northwest but Nigeria as a whole.

Also speaking, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mohammed Malick, said that maintenance of peace and security was a central work of the United Nations in order to save future generations.

He said that Nigeria has continued to experience a number of challenges ranging from insecurity, to economy, among others.

Malick said those challenges could affect the country from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He revealed that most of the vulnerables affected by  security challenges were women, hence the need for all to continue to address the situation.

The coordinator assured of UN’s support to Nigeria in every step it would take  to address such challenges.

Also speaking, the representative of UNDP, Ms Elsie Autafua, stressed the importance of peace and security in the development of any nation.

“Without peace, there will be no development,” she said.

Autafua said the region has a lot of potential that require proper attention.

She further explained that the region has vast land and market to be used for economic growth and development.

Autafua said that peace and security in the northwest should be a teamwork of all the stakeholders.