The Africa Centre at the United States Institute of Peace has invited ten state governors to a symposium on peace and security in Northern Nigeria.
As confirmed in a statement issued on Tuesday by Ibrahim Kaula, the Chief press secretary to Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda, the governors invited hail from the Northwest and North-central regions of the country.
According to Kaula, aside from his Principal, other governors who have been invited include Uba Sani (Kaduna), Abba Yusuf (Kano), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), and Umar Namadi (Jigawa).
Other governors are Ahmad Aliyu (Sokoto), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Mohammed Bago (Niger), and Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau).
According to the spokesperson, the symposium, scheduled to take place from 23 to 25 April in Washington, aims to address the urgent security challenges faced by the region.
The invitation recognizes the vital role played by state governors in mitigating security threats and promoting peace.
Kaula further explained that the symposium intends to enhance the governors’ capacity in conflict prevention and peacebuilding across Nigeria through dialogue and collaboration.
“The Africa Center seeks to empower governors to address the underlying causes of instability and strengthen peacebuilding initiatives at local and state levels,” he said, noting that the northern governors and other participants will engage in panel discussions focusing on the drivers of insecurity and opportunities for stabilisation.
Kaula also mentioned that a dedicated panel discussion will focus on “Enhancing Commercial Business and Bilateral Trade Between Nigeria and the US.”
The aim is to foster cooperation among the governors, Nigerian civil society organizations, private enterprises, and the global community to attract investments, create job opportunities, and promote economic growth.
Raye24reporters understands that several states in the North-west and North-central regions of Nigeria are facing attacks from bandits who frequently target villages and towns to steal livestock, plunder food supplies, and abduct locals for ransom. Some of these states have also experienced large-scale abductions of students from educational institutions.
During the reception of 23 students and staff from the Federal University, Gusau in Zamfara State, who were kidnapped in December but recently released, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, announced that the federal government has successfully secured the freedom of more than 1,000 individuals abducted in Northern Nigeria over the past 10 months.
