President Bola Ahmad Tinubu has flagged off Peace and Security Summit organised by the Northwest Governors’ Forum in Katsina State
Ibrahim Musa Kallah
The Summit was in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Speaking at the occasion, President Bola Ahmad Tinubu represented by the Vice President Kashim Shettima said the event which was first of its kind in the region bring together governors from across the northwest region and key partners to address the pressing security challenges facing the area.
Vice president Kashim Shettima maintained that the Summit arrives at a crucial moment for the Northwest, as the region faces mounting security challenges ranging from Cattle rustling, kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, among other communal conflicts.
These challenges according to him have had devastating consequences for the local population, resulting in significant loss of life and severe disruption to livelihoods and properties of People who are mostly less privileged.
The Vice President said the Northwest region has a unified People with common culture and tradition hence the for mutual participation among all sectors in the fight against challenges facing the region.
He therefore assured of the Federal Government’s commitment to continue collaborating with the States Governments and Security Agencies to ensure that the recommendations raised at the end of the summit have been utilized to ensure lasting peace in the region.
In his remarks, the Katsina State Governor and Chairman Northwest Governors Forum Dikko Umaru Radda said under the theme “Regional Cooperation for Securing Lives and Livelihoods,” the summit underscores the urgent need for coordinated action and solutions to restore peace and stability to the region.
The Governor emphasized the critical nature of the summit saying the gathering marked a turning point in the fight against insecurity facing the northwestern part of the Country.
He further explained that the challenges facing the region demands immediate and collective action by uniting their efforts and resources to forge a path towards lasting peace and prosperity for people of the region.
While stating various policies and programmes initiated by the Northwest Governors to protect the lives and property of the citizengry, the Governor commended the federal Government under the leadership of Sen. Bola Ahmad Tinubu for the support given to the region in the fight against poverty and insecurity.
The UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria Ms. Elsie Attafuah said the summit will further strengthen their collective resolve to create a safer environment for the people of the region.
Ms. Attafuah noted that the UNDP’s journey to address insecurity in the Northwest region began in January 2024 with a peace and security workshop organized in collaboration with the Katsina State Government. She explained that the effort led to the decision to convene the high-level Peace and Security summit for the Northwest State Governments.
The summit was attended by Governors of Zamfara, Jigawa as well as Deputy Governors of Sokoto, Kaduna and representative from Kano State.
Apart from the special guests, their was the Former President of Nigeria Muhammadu buhari, Serving Ministers and Former Katsina State Governors Aminu Bello Masari and Ibrahim Shehu Shema among others.
The Participants will make discussions that will explore sustainable approaches to advancing food security and fostering sustainable livelihoods.
A key outcome of the Summit will be an agreement by all participating parties – including the seven Northwest state government, federal government, and the UN – to support the development of the Northwest Peace and Security Development Framework.
The Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar the III commended the Federal Government and Northwest Governors as well as the UNDP for the event and hoped that the occasion will yielded a positive result.
