Northern governors in U.S. over insecurity

Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang of Plateau State has underscored the importance of strengthening strategic alliance between United States and Nigeria to tackle security challenges in some regions of Nigeria.

Mutfwang, part of a delegation of northern governors to the U.S., spoke at a dialogue on Peace and Security in Nigeria hosted at the United States Institute of Peace.

He appreciated the leadership style of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who, according to him, had shown political will in addressing security challenges and appealed to citizens and security agencies to redouble their efforts in discharging their constitutional responsibility.

The symposium, with the theme, “Drivers of Insecurity and Opportunities for Stabilisation,” aims at deepening understanding of the security context, including its socio-economic dimensions, and identifying near-term opportunities for addressing instability.

A statement by the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the  Governor, Gyang Bere, said the governor commended the United States Government, particularly the United States Institute of Peace, for its stabilisation support through various interventions, especially those focused on strengthening the capacity of peace actors through the Nigerian Network of Facilitators.

The three days conference is being attended by governors of Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa,and Plateau states, and was designed to address insecurity in Northern Nigeria.

The U.S. Institute of Peace would also broaden knowledge on strengthening conflict prevention in the region, through non-violent strategies for engaging the armed groups as alternative for conflict resolution.

The strategic engagement, being anchored by Vice President, Africa Center for US Institute of Peace, Dr Joseph Sany, will also focus on policy coordination and management of peace and stability in Nigeria.

He expressed optimism that the lessons learned would contribute to addressing decades of security challenges in Nigeria and Plateau State in particular.

The Vice President of the Africa Centre at the US Institute of Peace, in his opening remarks, appreciated the Nigerian governors for attending the symposium and urged them to apply the lessons learned in their respective states.

Governors at the dialogue include Senator Uba Sani (Kaduna), Abba Yusuf (Kano), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara); Hyacinth Alia (Benue); Mohammed Bago (Niger); and the Deputy Governor of Sokoto State.