Jonathan Nwokpor
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The administration of President Bola Tinubu is committed to combating insecurity in the nation by increasing investments in machinery, labour, and information collection, as stated by Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris.
Idris made these remarks on Thursday in Abuja during the News Agency of Nigeria’s (NAN) inaugural international conference, which had as its theme “Interrogating the Root Cause of Violence in the Sahel and Its Impact on Nigeria’s Territorial Integrity.” Experts, decision-makers, and stakeholders were present to evaluate the problems raised by the violence in the Sahel and offer solutions.
He admitted that because of Nigeria’s porous borders with the region, the Sahel region has turned into a hotbed of extremism, violence, terrorism, organised crime, drug trafficking, and the smuggling of weapons.
“Nigeria shares a long and porous border with several Sahelian countries caught up in conflict, making us vulnerable to the spillover effects of the conflict. This not only threatens our security but also challenges our capacity to maintain effective control over our border.
“Several scholars and experts had earlier attributed these challenges to socioeconomic marginalization, weak governance structures, environmental degradation and climate change, transnational organized crime, and illegal trafficking in arms among others but the spillover effect of these conflicts is taking its toll on our economy, internal security and the socio-economic well-being of our people,” he said.
According to the Minister, organised crime, poor governance, socioeconomic marginalisation, and environmental problems are the main causes of violence in the Sahel.
Nevertheless, he stated that the Federal Government is dedicated to resolving these fundamental problems, both independently and in cooperation with foreign allies.
“The violence in the Sahel is not an isolated issue, and no single country can tackle it alone. Therefore, Nigeria has stepped up its engagement with its neighbours and other regional and international partners, it’s strengthening joint military operations such as the Multinational Joint Task Force, and also supporting initiatives that aim to stabilize the Sahel region.
“On the home front, security has remained a top priority in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and through investment in equipment, manpower, acquisition of more fighting platforms, and intelligence gathering, we are winning the war against insecurity.
“Tacking these challenges would require collaboration between government agencies, international partners, and security experts in order to safeguard Nigeria’s territorial integrity and contribute to lasting peace and stability in the Sahel region,” said Idris.
In addition, he exhorted the specialists gathered for the conference to analyse the underlying reasons of the violent conflicts in the Sahel in order to come up with creative ways to address the problems.
Important national and international participants, including Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, the guest speaker, and former head of state General Abdulsalam Abubakar, chaired the inaugural NAN Lecture.
The guest of honour at the occasion, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was represented by the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu.
General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, Alhaji Umar Dikko Radda, the Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and Alhaji Shuaibu Abubakar, the Minister of Steel Development, were among the other dignitaries in attendance.
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