…challenges Governors to deliver inclusive growth
Stories by Olakunle Oke
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu issued a decisive mandate to Nigeria’s security apparatus on Monday, February 9, 2026, pledging to intensify the federal government’s campaign against banditry and terrorism.
Speaking at the opening of the two-day National Economic Council (NEC) conference at the State House Conference Centre, the President characterized these security threats as alien to Nigerian culture and a primary blockade to the nation’s economic prosperity.
He acknowledged that the current wave of insecurity has kept Nigerians awake at night and emphasized that restoring peace is a prerequisite for national progress.
The President’s remarks were delivered against a grim backdrop of recent violent escalations. On February 3, 2026, a brutal massacre occurred in the Woro and Nuku communities of Kwara State, where suspected Islamic extremists killed at least 162 residents.
Kwara Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq described the slaughter as a deliberate act of terror targeting residents who refused to adopt a hardline version of Sharia law, reporting that victims were shot at close range, burnt alive, or had their throats slit.
Simultaneously, the Doma communities in Katsina State witnessed the deaths of 20 people following the collapse of a local peace agreement.
In response to these tragedies, President Tinubu specifically lauded the governors of Borno and Katsina states for their proactive defense of their citizens. Beyond military force, the President linked the security crisis to unresolved livestock management issues, advocating for comprehensive ranching reforms and livestock investment to mitigate farmer-herder conflicts.
He expressed confidence that the NEC summit would generate concrete resolutions regarding dairy farming and agricultural diversification, promising his personal support for the implementation of these strategic solutions.
Under the theme “Delivering Inclusive Growth and Sustainable National Development: The Renewed Hope National Development Plan 2026–2030,” the President framed the gathering as a vital response to a nation standing at a defining crossroads of development.
The President used the platform to highlight the tangible benefits of his administration’s recent fiscal reforms, noting that state and local governments are now receiving significantly higher and more predictable allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
These increased funds, he argued, have empowered subnational leaders to meet salary obligations and invest in critical local infrastructure.
He further pointed to the Renewed Hope Ward Development Project as a model for bottom-up growth, emphasizing the expansion of social investment programs for the most vulnerable Nigerians.
Looking toward the 2030 horizon, President Tinubu described the new National Development Plan as an evidence-based roadmap focused on private sector-led growth, climate resilience, and human capital development.
He warned the gathered governors that the plan’s success rests entirely on effective implementation at the grassroots level.
Urging a transition from policy declarations to implementation, the President called for data-driven decision-making and peer learning among states, assuring the nation that the current economic sacrifices would eventually yield a fairer and more prosperous Nigeria.
