President Tinubu Calls for Collective Action at North-Central Security Summit

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu called for a collaborative approach to combat insecurity in Nigeria's North-Central region during the 2026 North-Central Regional Security Summit in Makurdi, Benue State. Represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, Tinubu asserted that military action alone cannot deliver lasting peace because force suppresses violence but does not resolve the underlying grievances. He identified climate change, desertification, land-use disputes, and the proliferation of illicit weapons as primary drivers of conflict.

To address these root causes, the government is promoting a transition from open grazing to settled livestock production and implementing the Reclaiming the Ungoverned Space for Economic Benefits Programme. Tinubu directed Minister of Defence Christopher Gwabin Musa to ensure the summit produces practical recommendations with measurable outcomes rather than an abandoned communiqué. He further urged traditional and religious leaders to serve as a first line of early warning and called on citizens to stop shielding criminals based on kinship.

Regional leaders emphasized the national stakes of the instability. Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia warned that insecurity in the region threatens national food security, while Plateau State Governor Caleb Muftwang characterized attacks on farming communities as deliberate invasions rather than simple farmer-herder clashes. Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule cautioned that political rivalries between regional leaders create opportunities for militants to infiltrate the area.