Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has called for a community-centred approach to tackling insecurity in the North Central region, warning that lasting solutions must go beyond military deployments.
Alia made the call on Monday while hosting participants at the North Central Regional Security Summit at the New Banquet Hall, Government House, Makurdi.
The summit brought together governors, security chiefs, community leaders and other stakeholders from across the North Central geopolitical zone to discuss measures to address insecurity in the region.
The governor said traditional rulers, border communities and grassroots intelligence networks must be incorporated into security strategies to effectively confront emerging threats.
“The moment we set aside our differences to confront the enemy of insecurity, half the battle is already won,” Alia said.
He stressed that collaboration should go beyond rhetoric and translate into practical measures involving people at the grassroots, whom he described as custodians of the land with access to early warning information on security threats.
The summit, organised by the Ministry of Defence in partnership with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, is aimed at developing localised responses to banditry, farmer-herder clashes, kidnapping, violent extremism and organised crime across the region.
Alia said he pushed for Benue to host the summit because of the security challenges that have affected the Benue-Plateau axis over the years.
According to him, addressing insecurity also requires tackling underlying socio-economic factors, including poverty and idleness, while strengthening intelligence-sharing and community engagement.
The governor further described the security of the North Central as critical to Nigeria’s food security and economic stability, citing the region’s contribution 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 participants to ensure that the summit produces practical and sustainable outcomes rather than ending with speeches and resolutions that are not implemented.
He called for operational recommendations and institutional mechanisms capable of surviving successive administrations.
The governor also commended President Bola Tinubu for his efforts towards addressing insecurity in the country and urged participants to work towards achieving the objectives of the summit.
Insecurity: Alia calls for community-centred approach at North Central security summit