The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to restoring peace and strengthening national unity under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He spoke at the Northwest Security Summit in Kaduna, noting that the President asked him to reaffirm that “security, unity and community resilience remain at the centre of national progress.”

According to Badaru, the administration is working towards “a society built on shared prosperity, tolerance and equal respect for every citizen.”

The minister said the region has recorded measurable progress in tackling the menace of insecurity, noting that several key routes previously dominated by bandits have reopened.

He said, “Movement on Kaduna–Kachia, Kaduna–Birnin Gwari, Jibia–Gurbin Baure and parts of the Sokoto–Illela corridor has improved significantly.”

He added that markets in Kaura Namoda, Shinkafi, Batsari, Giwa and Kajuru have witnessed increased activity, and many villages that were earlier displaced have returned.

He said many schools that were shut due to insecurity “have resumed academic activity under strengthened protection,” while farmers are back in the fields with better security support.

Besides, Badaru acknowledged persistent threats despite the progress, pointing out that “the Northwest continues to face lingering threats from bandits, terror cells and organised criminal networks”.

He referred to the recent abductions in Kebbi, Niger and Kwara, describing them as evidence of shifting tactics by criminal groups.

He said, “All victims from Kwara and Kebbi have been released, while a substantial number from those abducted in Niger have escaped captivity.”

The minister attributed the gains in the region to stronger synergy among security agencies, insisting that “this is not mere cooperation but unified action,” citing Operation FANSAN YAMMA as an example of improved joint operations.

He said government is closing deployment gaps by strengthening new structures.

“The National Mission Force Brigade in Samaru Kataf is now supporting rapid response, and the 18 Brigade Tactical Headquarters in Tegina became active in January 2025,” he said, adding that the Forward Operating Bases across the region are enhancing dominance and deterrence.

Badaru commended state governors in the North West for providing logistics and community support, saying their complementary security outfits “serve as force multipliers when working with the military.”

He also praised traditional rulers, women and youth groups, religious leaders and civil society for “strengthening community resilience and countering misinformation.”

On youth vulnerability, Badaru warned that criminal networks are deliberately targeting them.

He said the Federal Government is countering this through programmes such as the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund and the 3 Million Technical Talent Programme.

He said, “Defence must be complemented by development and diplomacy if we are to weaken the drivers of poverty and radicalisation.”

Badaru said President Tinubu has directed the armed forces to sustain momentum through stronger intelligence fusion, interagency cooperation and the protection of schools and rural communities.

He commended the Senate for convening the summit, saying it “supports national dialogue and accountability within the security sector.”

The minister assured that the Defence Ministry is ready to work with all stakeholders.

“Together, we will deepen stability, strengthen community confidence and decisively advance the Renewed Hope Agenda across the Northwest,” he added.

Meanwhile, Kaduna Governor, Uba Sani, was at the occasion with representatives of North West governors. Others in attendance included National Assembly lawmakers, traditional rulers, and other dignitaries.

Meanwhile, in his address, Governor Sani said, “Security today is fluid, multilayered, and driven by powerful transnational networks. No single institution, no matter how well-funded or well-intentioned, can solve it alone. Security has become a shared responsibility. Governments must lead, but communities, families, and citizens must stand as partners”.

“The Northwest is therefore not just another region contending with criminality; it has become the ultimate test of our nation’s ability to safeguard its people. Across Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto and other states, the security crisis is vast in scale and constantly evolving. What began as small-scale banditry has transformed into a sophisticated ecosystem of organised crime”, Sani added.

He said, “Today, our region faces an interlocking wave of violent activities—well-structured banditry, terrorism, mass abduction, illegal mining, gun-running, human trafficking, smuggling, and sectarian violence. These groups move seamlessly across state lines and international borders, often coordinating with criminal organisations beyond Nigeria’s frontiers. Our responses must therefore match their complexity.”

Sani added, “A major driver of violence in the Northwest is the porous border with the Niger Republic. Stretching across difficult terrain and sparsely policed corridors, these routes enable armed groups, traffickers, and smugglers to move with ease, retreating across the border whenever pressure mounts. These same routes facilitate the inflow of illegal arms, drugs, and illicit goods.”