By Felicia Imohimi
The National Assembly says it will convene a national security summit to tackle rising insecurity threatening lives, property, and food production across the country.
Sen. Garba Maidoki, a member of the Senate Committee on Agricultural Production and Rural Development, made this known in Lagos at the Stakeholders’ Consultative Meeting on the 2026 Agriculture Budget.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was organised by ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), German International Cooperation (GIZ), Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, amongst others.
The consultative forum aimed to deepen stakeholders’ understanding of key agricultural frameworks.
They include the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy, the National Agricultural Development Fund, and their alignment with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) targets.
The forum also served as a platform to review how these frameworks support the achievement of national and continental agricultural goals, in areas such as innovation, financing, and technology adoption.
Maidoki decried the growing insecurity across the country, which he said had led to widespread loss of lives, displacement, destruction of farmlands, and worsening food insecurity.
“Failure to prioritise these challenges will deny Nigerians access to food, nutrition, and sustainable livelihoods,” he warned.
He disclosed that the upcoming security summit, scheduled to hold in Lagos in the coming months, would include security agencies, policymakers, and members of the public.
According to the senator, the summit will serve as a platform to develop a new security blueprint or architecture, informed by expert contributions and public input.
“We are going for public hearings in all zones. Lagos is one of the centres for this security summit, where inputs from Nigerians will be collected.
“The thoughts and solutions derived from the summit will be handed over to our security chiefs for implementation,” he said.
Maidoki said the blueprint would address the yearnings of Nigerians, promote peace, and boost the fight against insecurity, especially as it affects food production and rural livelihoods.
“A lot needs to be done to confront insecurity, which remains the major threat to the nation’s food security.
“This summit will allow Nigerians to suggest practical solutions, and those will form the basis of actions by the security chiefs,” he added.
NAN reports that the meeting aimed to boost citizen input in the 2026 Agriculture Budget to support food systems and wealth creation.
Also, the consultative process aimed to support effective biennial reporting by Nigeria to the African Union Heads of State and Government, in line with the Kampala Declaration and its 2025 commitments. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Tosin Kolade
