The Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria and Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, on Tuesday, called for the urgent development and adoption of a comprehensive national peace framework to address Nigeria’s growing security challenges.
Speaker Ogundoyin made the call during his goodwill message as Special Guest of Honour at the opening ceremony of the 19th International Conference of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice, held at the University of Ibadan.
Ogundoyin expressed deep concern over the surge in kidnapping, banditry, and communal violence in some parts of the country, noting that without peace, development remains a distant dream.
“Peace is not just the absence of conflict but the presence of justice, equity, and security. We must act with urgency and clarity of purpose,” he said.
He lauded the efforts of Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, for hosting the Southwest Governors’ Forum in Ibadan just a day earlier, where insecurity was a top agenda item.
Ogundoyin emphasised that the issue of national security must transcend politics, ethnicity, and religion, and urged all stakeholders, traditional leaders, faith-based organisations, and civil society to join hands in safeguarding peace.
The conference chairman also used the platform to appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to explore more strategic and community-based approaches to peacebuilding, especially in the face of rising national insecurity.
“On behalf of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, I use this platform to appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to explore more robust and strategic approaches to entrenching lasting peace across the country. With the unsettling resurgence of kidnapping, banditry, and communal clashes in some regions, now is the time for a comprehensive national framework that strengthens security architecture, deepens intelligence gathering, and enhances collaboration between federal and sub-national governments.
The call for peace is urgent, and we must all rally around the President’s leadership to restore calm and hope to affected communities.”
He acknowledged the important work of peace-promoting organisations such as the United Nations, ECOWAS, and the African Union, while expressing optimism about the potential collaboration between the Nigerian Legislature and the Society for Peace Studies and Practice in formulating laws and policies that promote stability, dialogue, and conflict prevention.
“As lawmakers, we are ready to provide legislative support for peace initiatives that foster sustainable development and national unity,” Ogundoyin stated.
