Insecurity: Alia calls for community-centred approach at North Central security summit
Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has advocated for a community-centered approach to addressing insecurity in Nigeria’s North Central region. He emphasized that lasting solutions must extend beyond mere military interventions.
The governor made this appeal Monday during the North Central Regional Security Summit held at the New Banquet Hall of the Government House in Makurdi. The event gathered governors, security officials, community leaders, and other stakeholders from the North Central geopolitical zone to discuss strategies for enhancing regional security.
Alia stressed the importance of integrating traditional rulers, border communities, and local intelligence networks into security frameworks to effectively counter emerging threats. “The moment we set aside our differences to confront the enemy of insecurity, half the battle is already won,” he remarked.
He highlighted the need for collaboration that goes beyond mere words, urging practical measures that involve grassroots participation, which he described as essential for gathering early warning information on potential security threats.
Organized by the Ministry of Defence in conjunction with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, the summit aims to establish localized responses to issues such as banditry, farmer-herder conflicts, kidnappings, violent extremism, and organized crime.
Alia noted his decision to campaign for Benue to host the summit was due to the persistent security challenges affecting the Benue-Plateau region. He underscored that effectively addressing insecurity also involves tackling underlying socio-economic issues, such as poverty and unemployment, alongside enhancing intelligence sharing and community involvement.
The governor characterized the security situation in North Central Nigeria as vital to the nation’s food security and economic well-being, citing the region’s substantial contributions to agriculture and mineral resources. “When the North Central is insecure, it is not only our problem; the whole country feels it on its dining table,” he said.
Alia urged summit participants to focus on generating practical and sustainable outcomes that go beyond speeches and unimplemented resolutions. He called for operational recommendations and institutional frameworks capable of enduring through successive administrations.
In closing, the governor commended President Bola Tinubu for his initiatives aimed at addressing insecurity in the country and encouraged all participants to work diligently toward the summit’s objectives.
