Former Kaduna State Governor, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, has urged the Federal Government and state governors to declare a national emergency on insecurity, saying restoring security is the surest path to reviving Nigeria’s economy.

Makarfi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), criticised the handling of the country’s security challenges by the administration of President Bola Tinubu, warning that the worsening insecurity continues to undermine economic growth and national development.

Speaking with journalists in Kaduna, the former governor said security should be treated as Nigeria’s foremost national priority, insisting that meaningful economic recovery would remain elusive until the country succeeds in tackling its security challenges.

“People talk about economic issues and other concerns, but in my view, once substantial progress is made in restoring security, economic activities will blossom and economic hardship will lessen,” he said.
“If I were to set priorities, security would come first because it has positive multiplier effects on virtually every other sector.”

Makarfi expressed concern over what he described as the inability of government to significantly reduce insecurity.
“The behaviour of some people in government raises serious concern, and our inability to either stop or drastically reduce security challenges remains a major problem,” he said.

He urged political leaders, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders to work together to address the country’s security challenges, stressing that insecurity should never be politicised.

“My personal view is that there are certain issues that should never be politicised, whether by government or by those outside government. Once such issues are politicised, valuable time is lost in addressing them effectively.

“Security, in particular, should not be politicised. If people outside government raise concerns or offer suggestions on security matters, government should not dismiss them as mere politics. Likewise, those in opposition should not celebrate insecurity simply because they believe it could improve their electoral prospects. That would be selfish,” he stated.

According to Makarfi, insecurity affects every Nigerian irrespective of political affiliation and should serve as a rallying point for national unity.
“Security is a matter that affects everyone. It should unite us while we maintain our different political beliefs and aspirations.

“Nigeria has reached a point where we need to collectively define our national priorities and address them together while maintaining our separate political identities and democratic competition,” he said.

He maintained that while governments should be held accountable for their performance in tackling insecurity, criticism should be constructive and aimed at helping the country make progress.

“As I have consistently maintained, security remains the foundation upon which economic growth, social stability and national development depend. Government must continue to prioritise it and remain open to useful suggestions from all stakeholders,” he added.

On the growing political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, Makarfi said consultations, alliances and realignments were normal in a democracy but warned that politics must not distract governments from their primary responsibility of governance.

“The focus of all political parties should be on presenting credible alternatives, articulating clear policies and addressing the concerns of Nigerians rather than merely engaging in political manoeuvring. Ultimately, Nigerians will judge political parties and leaders based on their performance, credibility and commitment to solving the country’s challenges,” he said.

Drawing from his experience as a former governor, Makarfi acknowledged that not every aspect of security operations is made public, making it difficult to fully assess government efforts.

“As somebody who handled security matters as governor, I know that not everything can be disclosed to the public. There could be actions being taken that cannot be made public for security reasons.

“But even giving the government the benefit of the doubt, the reality on the ground is that the security challenges are expanding. Rather than merely criticising, my advice is that the President, working with state governors, should declare a national emergency on security,” he said.

He called for a fundamental shift in governance priorities, urging the government to devote the next one or two years largely to strengthening security through increased funding, recruitment, training and equipment for security agencies.

“Governance should change so that the first, second and third priorities are security in all its ramifications. You cannot be talking about rural electrification and many other projects when communities are under attack.

“That is not to suggest government should stop paying salaries, pensions or investing in education and healthcare. But beyond these essential obligations, available resources should be strategically targeted at addressing insecurity.

“You cannot solve the security problem without significantly increasing manpower, improving training, providing modern equipment and strengthening logistics for our security agencies,” he said.