President Bola Tinubu has described banditry and terrorism as alien to Nigeria’s culture and a major obstacle to economic growth, pledging that his administration will strengthen security forces to defeat the menace.
Speaking at the opening of the National Economic Council (NEC) conference in Abuja on Monday, Tinubu said insecurity has kept Nigerians “sleepless” but assured that with determination and resilience, the country will prevail.
“Banditry and terrorism are unacceptable. They are not part of our culture. They are an economic hindrance if we do not find an immediate solution,” Tinubu said.
His remarks followed recent deadly attacks, including the February 3 massacre in Kwara State’s Kaiama LGA, where at least 162 residents were killed by extremists, and another incident in Katsina State that left 20 dead after a failed peace arrangement.
Tinubu commended governors of Borno and Katsina for their efforts in combating insecurity and linked the crisis to his administration’s livestock reforms. He insisted that ranching and livestock investment must form part of NEC’s resolutions to end farmer-herder conflicts.
“I’m confident that the resolution of this conference will include dairy farming, livestock investment, ranches and diversification of our agricultural produce. I promise Nigeria that this will be delivered,” he said.
The President had earlier directed Vice President Kashim Shettima and the NEC to develop a roadmap for ranching reforms, leading to the inauguration of a Livestock Development Committee in December 2025.
The two-day NEC conference, themed Delivering Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development: The Renewed Hope National Development Plan, is expected to address fiscal coordination, investment mobilisation, and shared development strategies between federal and state governments.
