The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to restoring lasting peace and security in the South-East, describing stability in the region as essential to Nigeria’s unity, economic growth and national development.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this on Thursday at the 2026 South-East Regional Security Summit in Umuahia, Abia State.
He said the Tinubu administration is strengthening intelligence sharing, inter-agency collaboration, security equipment and international partnerships to protect lives and property across the region.
“The Federal Government remains fully committed to ensuring that every community across the South-East enjoys lasting peace and security. Security is the foundation for investment, education, agriculture and economic prosperity,” Idris said.
The minister stressed that peace in the South-East is crucial to the country’s overall stability.
“When the South-East is secure, Nigeria is stronger. When every region enjoys peace, our democracy flourishes. And when we stand together as one people, united by a common destiny, no force can diminish the promise of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Speaking on the theme, “Collaborative Approaches to Strengthening Security and Regional Stability,” Idris said addressing insecurity requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach involving governments, security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations and citizens.
He added that the Federal Government’s investments in infrastructure, youth empowerment, education, digital skills and support for small businesses form part of its broader strategy to address the root causes of insecurity.
The minister also urged Nigerians to reject misinformation and support ongoing constitutional reforms aimed at strengthening grassroots policing.
“Peace is more than the absence of conflict. It is the presence of justice, opportunity, inclusion and hope. Together, we must reject division and work to build communities founded on trust and shared prosperity,” he said.
Delivering the goodwill message of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua said the National Assembly would continue to provide legislative backing for measures aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture.
“No nation has ever secured itself through isolated efforts; security succeeds where partnerships flourish,” Yar’Adua said.
Also speaking, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, called for stronger regional cooperation and institutional reforms to tackle evolving security challenges.
“The time has come to move from dialogue to implementation. Security cannot be achieved through force alone; it requires collaboration, community trust and collective responsibility,” Kalu said.
Governor Alex Otti described security as the foundation of development, saying no meaningful progress can be achieved in an atmosphere of fear and insecurity.
“We cannot afford to surrender this great land and its people to the forces of insecurity. Security is the foundation upon which all our hopes for development and prosperity rest,” Otti said.