The Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the South-East/North-East zone of the National Security Summit 2025 has assured residents of the South-East of its commitment to restoring peace and strengthening security across the region.
Senator Austin Akobundu, Chairman of the committee, gave the assurance on Thursday during the zonal security summit held in Enugu. The summit, themed “Strengthening Nigeria’s National Security Architecture: Innovation, Collaboration and Resilience in a Changing World,” brought together stakeholders from traditional and religious institutions, community leaders, security agencies, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, civil society, and political office holders.
Akobundu said the National Assembly would continue to ensure sustained inter-agency collaboration among security agencies and provide the necessary resources to restore the region to “the path of peace, progress, and prosperity.”
He expressed appreciation to security agencies, religious and traditional leaders, the media, and other stakeholders for their efforts so far, urging them not to relent. “I put this clarion call out to them not to rest on their oars but to continue to work in collaboration with one another until our collective goals are achieved,” he said. “To our men and officers in the frontline, your sacrifices will never be forgotten. You are our greatest assets and heroes in this war against extremism and criminality.”
Speaking on the significance of the summit, Akobundu explained that the Senate convened the National Security Summit to address rising insecurity nationwide and provide an avenue for Nigerians—especially those directly affected—to contribute to finding a lasting solution.
He noted with concern that despite years of combined efforts, insecurity in the region had worsened. “Whole communities are traumatised and displaced, farmlands abandoned and schools disrupted,” he said, adding that the situation had heightened poverty, hunger, disease, and illiteracy.
Akobundu stressed that the activities of non-state actors had devastated the region, resulting in deaths, destruction of property, and displacement. He lamented the decline in school enrolment and performance in national and international examinations, a sharp contrast to the South-East’s longstanding reputation for academic excellence. He added that the Monday sit-at-home order and violent tactics by some agitators had crippled the region’s economy.
The Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Uche Ugwu, described the summit as an opportunity to collectively identify the root causes of insecurity in the South-East. He emphasised the need for sincerity, courage, and strong partnerships among governments, communities, security agencies, traditional institutions, youth groups, and civil society organisations to address the challenges.
