The Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on the National Security Summit on Thursday, 27 November 2025, held its North Central Zonal Public Hearing at Crispan Hotel and Suites, Jos, Plateau State, bringing together key stakeholders to chart workable solutions to insecurity across the region.
Chairman of the Committee and Leader of the Senate delegation, Senator Abba Patrick Moro, said the engagement aligns with the 10th Senate’s legislative agenda, which prioritizes inclusiveness and collaborative policymaking aimed at restoring national stability. He noted that Nigeria’s security challenges—including banditry, insurgency, kidnapping, and farmer–herder clashes—require broad consultation and community-driven responses.
According to him, the summit is designed to gather expert opinions, grassroots insights, and lived experiences that will shape legislative reforms and strengthen the nation’s security institutions. Senator Moro, who also serves as Senate Minority Leader, identified economic hardship, porous borders, arms proliferation, youth unemployment, and unresolved grievances as major drivers of insecurity. He urged participants to offer “concise, actionable, and realistic recommendations,” assuring that all submissions would be deliberated upon for the common good.
Senators present at the meeting included Sen. Titus Zam, Sen. Diket Plang, Sen. Emmanuel Udendi, and Sen. Harishiru.
Matthewtegha Blog reposts that stakeholders from religious institutions, civil society organizations, ethnic associations, and professional bodies made presentations calling for immediate action to end the killings and forced displacement, particularly land grabbing by armed groups, which many described as a major factor behind recurring attacks.
Declaring the summit open, Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang—represented by Deputy Governor Ngo Josephine Piyo—revealed that no fewer than 12,000 residents of Plateau State have been killed and at least 420 communities attacked between 2001 and May 2025. He described the hearing as timely, citing the ongoing national conversation on the “unacceptable levels of insecurity” across Nigeria.
“Our state, once known as the Home of Peace and Tourism, has suffered devastating attacks that have left a trail of deaths and destruction,” he said. He highlighted the evolving patterns of insurgency and terror, which now constitute a major threat to both human and national security.
Renowned peace advocate, Rev. Dr. Gideon Para-Mallam, presented seven high-impact recommendations, top among them the decentralization and strengthening of Nigeria’s security architecture. He proposed constitutional reforms to allow national, state, local, and community policing; strengthening police training institutions; establishing state police service commissions; creating community policing oversight committees; and equipping the National Police Service with modern anti-terrorism capabilities.
In another presentation, President of the Berom Educational and Cultural Organization (BECO), Da Gyang Dudu Dalyop, called for a constitution review that empowers state governors with full security authority, stressing that “political will—not political correctness—is critical to ending the killings.” He warned against profiling communities and emphasized that Nigerians, regardless of religion or ethnicity, are being killed and must be protected.
Also speaking emotionally, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo urged lawmakers to prioritize the restoration of lands and resettlement of displaced villages, recounting personal losses suffered from violent attacks.
Rev Dachomo maintained his stand on the ongoing genocide, emphasizing he had supporting evidence to prove it but however urged that the earlier the realities are accepted, the earlier solutions will be reached.
In an interview after the session, Dr. Godwin Okoko, Executive Director of the BEGE Foundation, cautioned the Senate against repetitive consultations without tangible action. He supported the recent declaration of a state of emergency on security, urging the government to follow through with concrete measures.
Dr. Okoko emphasized the need to re-motivate security forces, deploy advanced technology, and address the changing dynamics of criminality. He also called for withdrawal of police personnel from VIP escorts to strengthen community-level policing.
“We hope this committee will ensure that the recommendations from this summit are backed by action. Nigerians want to see real change, not just pronouncements,” he said.
The summit drew wide attendance from Senators and Members of the House of Representatives from the North Central region, top security chiefs, traditional rulers, community leaders, youth representatives, civil society groups, academics, researchers, and the media.
Discussions centered on restoring peace, strengthening community resilience, and deepening collaboration between security agencies and citizens as Nigeria continues its search for lasting security solutions across the North Central zone and the country at large.
