10 northern governors to attend security symposium in US

The Africa Centre at the United States Institute of Peace has invited 10 governors from the northern part of Nigeria to a symposium on peace and security.

Ibrahim Kaula, chief press secretary to Dikko Radda, governor of Katsina state, announced the development in a statement on Tuesday.

Kaula said the symposium will be held from April 23 to 25 in Washington.

The invited governors include Radda; Uba Sani (Kaduna); Abba Yusuf (Kano); Nasir Idris (Kebbi) and Umar Namadi (Jigawa).

Others are Ahmad Aliyu (Sokoto); Dauda Lawal (Zamfara); Hyacinth Alia (Benue); Mohammed Bago (Niger) and Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau).

Kaula said that the invitation is in recognition of the crucial role the governors are playing in mitigating security threats and fostering peace in their states.

He said the symposium aims to enhance the capacity of the governors 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,” NAN quoted Kaula as saying.

Kaula said the governors and other participants will engage in panel discussions, focusing on the drivers of insecurity and opportunities for stabilisation.

He said the symposium will help to deepen the understanding of the complex security landscape, identify strategies to address challenges and explore opportunities for sustainable peace and development in the region.

Kaula also said a special panel discussion will be held to discuss ways of “strengthening commercial business and two-way trade between Nigeria and the U.S”.