Insecurity: Nigerian Govt, South-East leaders to design new framework
Federal Ministry of Defence to Implement Framework from Southeast Security Summit
The Federal Ministry of Defence announced plans to implement a comprehensive framework based on resolutions from the 2026 Southeast Regional Security Summit, held in Umuahia, Abia State.
Rear Admiral Oluwale Bankole (Rtd.), the Special Assistant to the Minister of Defence, delivered this update on Thursday while presenting the summit’s communiqué. The event was organized by the Federal Ministry of Defence in collaboration with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (Southeast). The aim was to address the security challenges facing the Southeast region.
The summit recognized improvements in the security situation in the Southeast but also highlighted ongoing threats, including kidnapping, armed robbery, politically motivated violence, and attacks on both security personnel and public infrastructure.
Concerns were also raised about factors fueling insecurity, such as the proliferation of illicit arms, drug abuse, misinformation, and the violent enforcement of unlawful sit-at-home orders.
The communiqué emphasized that insecurity does not respect state boundaries, with criminal elements often operating across neighboring regions. It noted that isolated responses by individual states are insufficient to tackle these challenges effectively.
The summit stressed that overcoming these issues requires sustained regional cooperation, coordinated action, and active participation from all stakeholders.
One key recommendation from the summit was the establishment of a shared database for the Southeast to enhance intelligence gathering, including the integration of closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems and coordinated law enforcement efforts.
Additionally, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris urged the Nigerian media to focus less on negative news reporting.
