The National Economic Council (NEC) rose from its monthly meeting on Thursday and again failed to discus State Police despite the worsening security situation in the country.
NEC had at its previous sittings assured members and the people of a final resolution of the matter whenever it reconvenes.
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, had categorically stated during the last NEC meeting in February, 2025, that all the 36 states were favourably disposed to establishment of State Police, assuring them that when the Council reconvenes, itwould make a pronouncement and rest the matter.
Also, the Nigerian Governors after a meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, emphasised the need for increased recruitment into security agencies and the adoption of technology-driven solutions to tackle killings at the various state level.
In a related development, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ),yesterday, formally flagged off a military diplomacy campaign in the South-east, North-west, and North-east, particularly Adamawa, Katsina, and Anambra States respectfully, as response to the growing insecurity in parts of the country.
However, responding to a question on whether the issue of State Police was discussed at Thursday’s meeting held at the State House, Abuja with Vice President KashimShettima presiding, Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, said it was part of the agenda of the meeting but it was deferred as a result of some presentations on other pressing national issues which took better time of NEC.
He gave an assurance that the matter would be deliberated exhaustively in the next Council meeting in May, 2025, in order to put it to rest.
“State Police was part of our agenda today (Thursday), but unfortunately, because of time demands you know, we have been there for a very long time now, the presentations, we were unable to get to that bit of it (State Police). So, I can assure you that in our next meeting, that issue will be exhaustively discussed,” he said.
On the presentation made by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, especially on the issue of ranching, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, said the presentation was a follow-up to previous deliberations.
According to him, “The Ministry is looking at that sector (Livestock Development), as I said, being modernised, but more importantly, emphasis is placed on cattle ranching and peace building.
“And we believe that the ministry’s presentation on cattle ranching is a modern solution to the issues of farmers and herders clashes.”
To reposition Nigeria’s economy and tackle insecurity at its roots, the National Economic Council (NEC) also approved the establishment of a Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Board, alongside new strategies for agribusiness expansion and livestock transformation projected to generate up to $90 billion in economic value by 2035.
Other initiatives approved by council included the establishment of the Green Imperative Project (GIP) national office in Abuja and regional offices across the six geopolitical zones, as well as addressing the crises fuelled by the current system of animal husbandry in the country.
NEC also observed a minute silence for victims of the recent killings in Benue and Plateau States, while expressing its condolences for the people and governments of the affected states.
NEC, chaired by the vice-president with Governors of the 36 states of the federation, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Minister of Finance, and other co-opted government officials as members, approved the proposal for the establishment of the Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Board.
As the regulatory body for the cotton, textile and garment sector of Nigeria, the Board will have governors representing the six geo-political zones, with Ministers of Agriculture and Food Security, Budget and Economic Planning, and Industry, Trade and Investment as members.
The board, when set up, would be domiciled in the presidency, private sector-driven, with representation of the relevant public sector stakeholders, and funded from the Textile Import Levy being collected by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
NEC also approved the establishment of the Green Imperative Project (GIP) national office in Abuja and regional offices across the six geopolitical zones, as well as the request for support for the formal launch of the National Agribusiness Policy Mechanism.
Addressing issues of empowerment and food security, Shettima implored members of the Council to be courageous in taking decisions, saying they must “resist the temptation of grand rhetoric and embrace the hard work of reform.”
According to him, “The nation is watching. Our citizens are not waiting for another speech. They are waiting for results. This Council must remain a meeting point of ideas that move the nation forward. Let us rise above partisan interests and regional divisions and focus on what truly matters—building a nation that delivers for all.”
The Vice-President reminded members that they were not at the council meeting as a mere routine but by “the resolve to confront the pressing realities that define the lives” of the Nigerian people”, even as he urged them not to just respond to crises, but work as architects of a sustainable future for the nation.
“Governance, in truth, is not the theatre of promises. It is the solemn business of fulfilment. Today, as always, we are not here to admire the beauty of policy design but to ensure the substance of its execution.
“The task before us is monumental, but it is not unfamiliar. At our last meeting, we launched bold initiatives and reawakened our sense of duty to the nation. Today, we return with even greater clarity about what lies ahead. We must always bear in mind that we are not merely responders to crises. We are architects of a sustainable future.”
On the establishment of a Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Board, Shettimasaid it aligned with the economic revival agenda of President Bola Tinubu, recalling that the initiative “is a call to resuscitate a sector that once clothed the people and powered the nation’s economy.
“Nigeria is a nation where cotton can thrive in 34 states. Yet our production level remains a fraction of our potential. We currently produce only 13,000 metric tons, while we continue to import textiles worth hundreds of millions of dollars. This is not just an economic imbalance. It is an invitation to act,” he added.
Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Board, according to him, would be funded by the textile import levy and would have a presence in all geopolitical zones in the country.
“Our goal is not just regulation. It is a revival. This is our opportunity to re-industrialise, to empower communities, and to restore pride in local production,” he explained.
On strengthening the nation’s food security, the Vice President said even though it was a vital follow-up to the Nutrition 774 Initiative, it was also basically about building an inclusive, efficient and sustainable national food economy.
“We are building a national food economy that is inclusive, efficient and sustainable,” he noted.
Shettima maintained that deliberations by NEC must inspire action, deepen unity and uplift the lives of the citizens, and to actualise this, he pushed for the consideration of a “field visit by the NEC Implementation Monitoring Committee.
“This is a critical step in bridging the gap between policy and performance. Our people do not evaluate us by the elegance of our policies, but by the evidence of their impact,” he added.
The presentation by the Minister of Education informed the Council that the National Council on Skills had, at its last meetings, chaired by the Vice President, resolved to strengthen and streamline skills development efforts across the country, through the Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) initiative.
Council was informed that the TVET system will comprehensively transform skilled education to deliver quality and consistency across all levels.
Through a standardised framework that ensures all training programmes were properly accredited and certified in a seamless and orderly manner, supported by modernisedcolleges, an industry-relevant curriculum, sustainable funding and a strong governance structure.
Council was informed that the coordinated and integrated initiative would integrate partnerships with all MDAs, sub-national governments and the private sector.
Council lauded the federal government’s strong commitment to TVET by integrating skills development into national education policies and budgetary allocations.
Council approved key recommendations in the presentation and urged State governors to take advantage of emerging opportunities under the new initiative to train and mentor youths in digital education and skill acquisition to add value to their lives.
Considering the benefits of the programme on job creation and youth empowerment, states were advised to also fully participate in the programme irrespective of political affiliations.
The purpose of the presentation on Nigeria Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy was to present the strategy of the newly created Federal Ministry of Livestock Development (FMLD) to the National Economic Council.
The strategy was inherited and built on the National Livestock Transformation Plan, NLTP (2018 – 2028), which was focused on modernising Nigeria’s livestock sector, with an emphasis on cattle ranching and peacebuilding.
The strategy is also built on the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), refined and extended to transform the sector into an intentional jobs, wealth, exports, and tax / IGR engine.
The presentation projected that the strategy would build a $74 billion – $90 billion sector by 2035 in direct partnership between States, the private sector, and foreign investors, under a sound federal regulatory umbrella.
Investments in the programme would prioritise five key pillars between 2025 and 2026. These critical areas of focus included Animal Health and Zoonoses Control, Feed and Fodder Development, and Water Resources Management.
Others were on Statistics & Information Systems and Breed Improvement initiatives as essential components of comprehensive Livestock Value Chain Development across the country.
Council considered several prayers related to livestock development initiatives in Nigeria.
The first set of requests included formally endorsing FMLD’s inheritance of NLTP, its strategic priorities and associated implementing assets; transferring to FMLD the prior committed N100 billion in resources approved by NEC to support industry modernization; creating counterpart State Ministries of Livestock Development as appropriate; and gaining access to the pool of technical support and expertise available at the Federal Ministry, particularly for animal health support and disease eradication.
Additionally, the Council reviewed proposals to work together in delivering public good investments critical to transforming Nigeria into a red meat exporter with access to key Middle East and Asian markets.
This included partnering FMLD to attract private investors to the States as well as strengthening existing ones to build an IGR source, national job growth, and export engine.
The final considerations focused on collaboration with the NL-GAS Office to domesticate the new strategy and key into the growing pool of investor engagement.
There was also discussion about partnering sub-nationals to identify key areas of investment priority and positioning on the value chain accordingly via State Investment Companies to generate IGR and jobs.
Council deliberated and endorsed key recommendations of the presentation, especially the focus on addressing the crises fuelled by the current system of animal husbandry in the country.
NEC also urged active participation of the sub-nationals and the private sector in operationalising the priorities of the Ministry’s presentation on modern livestock production.
After Meeting CDS, Govs Demand More Security Personnel, Tech-driven Solutions
The Nigerian Governors, after a meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, emphasised the need for increased recruitment into security agencies and the adoption of technology-driven solutions to tackle killings at the various state level.
The governors in a communique of their meeting yesterday, read by the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, said as an immediate step to address the surge in killings in parts of the country also set up a committee to collaborate with security agency heads on a joint strategy.
Since the reported killing of at least 15 people on March 9 in a series of renewed attacks by suspected herdsmen in the Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, incidents involving unidentified gunmen had continued to claim more lives.
In a related incident on April 14, a fresh attack took place in Zike hamlet, Kimakpacommunity, within the Kwall District of Irigwe Chiefdom, Bassa Local Government Area, Plateau State, resulting in the confirmed deaths of at least 52 individuals, including an entire family of eight, with many property destroyed.
In response, the 36 state governors called for swift action and urged security agencies to confront the security challenges directly.
“The Forum received a presentation from the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, on an innovative security initiative aimed at strengthening national and subnational capacity for early threat detection and coordinated response.
“The project envisions the phased deployment of advanced technology and infrastructure to improve surveillance, crisis management, and public safety. Governors expressed support for the initiative’s objectives and underscored the importance of technology-driven solutions in addressing evolving security challenges at the state level.
“The Forum set up a subcommittee of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to work with heads of security agencies on a collaborative approach for immediate solutions.
“The Forum received a presentation from the Hon. Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, on unlocking the economic potential of land through a federal-state partnership for land reform.
“The minister outlined ongoing housing initiatives under the Renewed Hope Programme and proposed a comprehensive land registration reform to formalise land ownership, enhance tenure security, and boost internally generated revenue across states.
“Governors welcomed the ownership, enhanced tenure security, and a boost in internally generated revenue across states. Governors welcomed the initiative, noting its potential to catalyse investment, improve urban planning, and enhance land-based revenue generation.”
Uzodinma added that the Forum received a presentation on a proposed strategic partnership with Powercom Smart Grid Nigeria Limited.
According to him, “Under the proposed agreement, PSGN will assume operational control of select distribution companies, introduce advanced smart grid technologies, and establish a meter production facility to enhance service delivery and energy access across states.
“The Forum noted that the partnership seeks to improve electricity distribution efficiency, support job creation through local manufacturing, and relieve states of legacy sector liabilities. Governors received the proposal and would examine the opportunities and benefits therein.”
The Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, however, emphasised the importance of establishing state police in Nigeria.
In an interview with journalists, Sani stated that the killings should not be seen as an indictment of the governors, noting that they have a limited role to play in addressing the issue.
“In my opinion, it’s not an indictment. I do agree that we have a limited role to play concerning the Constitution of Nigeria. Don’t forget that even tomorrow, by the grace of God, it’s one of the areas we are going to look at – the possibility of the creation of state policing in Nigeria, which for me would go a long way in addressing insecurity, particularly at the sub-national level.
“But of course, as governors, we must take responsibility. Take, for example, what is happening in Kaduna. When I came in, I inherited a system where we had a series of communal and religious clashes. But I can tell you, in almost 20 months since I took over—we have not had a single religious or communal clash.
“So for me, I believe as a leader, you have to lead by example by making sure that you carry everyone along. You make sure that you handle the problem of insecurity and ethnic merchants. They’re everywhere. There are people who can only benefit if there’s political, religious, or ethnic conflict.
“I also believe security agencies in Nigeria should step up and do what is right. You can see that even the Chief of Defence Staff addressed us today. And it’s a very important meeting where we looked at areas of synergy between the security agencies and the state governors.
“But of course, in my last interview, I already declared that we do not have enough boots on the ground. So, no matter how we try to address the issue, we have to look at other aspects, particularly looking at a non-kinetic approach.
“Because when you look at the security agencies in Nigeria—look at the military—like I said, we have less than 300,000 soldiers; the entire police personnel in Nigeria are less than 400,000 in a country of about 230 million.
“So there are a lot of ungoverned spaces in Nigeria—whether in the North, in the South, everywhere. So we have to look at other areas of addressing the issue of insecurity. That is the reason why I believe we all have to work together. We don’t need to blame each other.”
DHQ Flags Off Diplomacy Campaign
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has flagged off a military diplomacy campaign in the South-east, North-west, and North-east, particularly Adamawa, Katsina, and Anambra States respectfully.
Speaking during the official flag-off in Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa State, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, explained that the military diplomacy campaign was part of its non-kinetic approach to the fight against insurgency, aimed at winning the hearts and minds of citizens to support and cooperate with the military.
Represented by the Adamawa State Team Lead, Cdr. Godwin Egbunu, the CDS said, “The military diplomacy campaign basically is a campaign where the military wants to encourage continued collaboration with its host communities.
“This team in Adamawa today is just one; another team is in Anambra, Operation Udoka to be precise, and another team is in Katsina for Operation Fansan Yamma.
“Basically, we are reaching out to communities to encourage them to come out and share credible intelligence to support the ongoing military operations nationwide.
“Part of our message is for the youths and community members to desist from crime or being lured into criminal syndicates, cult groups, kidnapping gangs, and other activities that could bring about negative vices.
“We want to ensure that communities live in peace with each other, avoiding communal clashes. Where there is an impending crisis, the communities should reach out to the military or other security agencies to enable them to nip the crisis in the bud before it snowballs out of proportion. We also encouraged them not to see the military as enemies but as partners.”
Chairman of Yola South Local Government Area, Salihu Malkohi, applauded the military authorities for the laudable initiative. He also commended the Commander of Operation Farauta for his tireless efforts in guaranteeing peace and security within his areas of responsibility.
Represented by the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Yola South, Aliyu Jibril, the Chairman also appealed to the military authorities to build barracks in Yola South, to further enhance the security of the area.
The Brigade Commander, 23 Brigade, Brigadier General Paul Zawaya, represented by Lt. Col. Felix Ayeni, promised to convey their request to the Chief of Defence Staff. He, however, reminded them that it is expected of them to make land available for the project.
A community member, Darius Susarumso, appreciated the military for the non-kinetic engagement with the community, adding that the engagement would enhance peace and clear doubts in their minds.
PDP Expresses Concern over Deteriorating Security Situation in KwaraCommunities
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in the state, especially in Baruten, Kaiama and EkitiLocal Government Council Areas of the state.
“In just one week, reports of coordinated attacks by armed gunmen who ambushed and abducted seven passengers heading to Offa in Obbo-Aiyegunle road in Ekitilocalgovernment and the follow-up attacks that led to the cold-blooded murder of at least six innocent residents of Kaiama and Baruten by terrorists have remained unfortunate incidents in the state,” he said.
In a statement by the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the party expressed concerns that, “Kwara, which was handed over to Gov Abdulrahman in 2019, as one of the most peaceful states in the country, is now slipping fast into a flashpoint of terrorism, banditry, and violent crimes under his watch.
“Our party considers this deterioration in security as a direct result of the alleged governor’s failure to govern from Kwara and provide proactive leadership, clear policy direction, and failure to make effective utilisation of security votes to support the security agencies in the state.
“The governor’s recent condolence visit to Kaiama without visiting the actual scenes of these horrifying attacks or visiting the affected bereaved families, who are still mourning their lost loved ones, is the height of political rascality, insensitivity, and gross disrespect for the sanctity of human life.
“It is also disturbing that residents of Kaiama, Baruten, Obo-Aiyegunle in Ekiti local government council and other restive areas across the state have now resorted to self-help by contributing money to procure ammunition and logistics for local vigilantes to enhance their security.
“This is happening while the governor sits on undisclosed billions of naira in security votes, with no visible impact on the state’s security apparatus.”
Deji Elumoye, Chuks Okocha, Hammed Shittu and Linus Aleke
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