By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna Traditional rulers, security chiefs, youth and civil society groups will gather in Kaduna next w...
Traditional rulers, security chiefs, youth and civil society groups will gather in Kaduna next week for a major summit aimed at confronting the deepening insecurity across Northern Nigeria through unity and community action.
The Director General of the Arewa Cohesion for Peace, Unity and Development Initiative, Dr. Abdullahi Idris, announced this on Sunday during a pre-event press briefing in Kaduna, ahead of the Arewa Awareness Summit on Unity Against Insecurity.
Dr. Idris said the summit, scheduled for Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at Arewa House, Kaduna, will begin at 10:00 a.m. It will bring together policymakers, security experts, religious and traditional leaders, academics, women and youth groups, development partners, the private sector and the media.
“While governments and security agencies continue to make efforts in addressing these challenges, it has become increasingly evident that sustainable peace requires the active participation of every stakeholder,” Dr. Idris told reporters.
The summit is themed “Unity, Cooperation and Collective Action Against Insecurity in Northern Nigeria.”
According to the DG, Northern Nigeria continues to grapple with attacks that have displaced families, disrupted businesses and threatened the region’s long-standing culture of peaceful coexistence. He said ACI is convening the meeting not just to discuss the problems, but to inspire concrete action.
“Our objective is not merely to discuss the challenges before us but to inspire action. We seek to strengthen collaboration between communities and institutions, promote intelligence sharing and community participation, encourage peaceful coexistence, support youth engagement and foster partnerships,” he said.
Dr. Idris stressed that security cannot be left to security agencies alone. He called it a collective responsibility that involves parents, schools, religious bodies, traditional institutions and the media.
“Every citizen has a vital role to play in building a safer and more united Northern Nigeria,” he added.
The ACI boss also urged the media to help counter misinformation and hate speech through accurate and balanced reporting.
“As partners in nation-building, the media remains indispensable in shaping public opinion, promoting responsible dialogue and fostering social cohesion,” he said.
The Director General called on development partners, community leaders and all well-meaning Nigerians to support the initiative, describing dialogue as one of the most effective tools for rebuilding trust and resolving conflicts.
“Together, we can build a Northern Nigeria where peace prevails over conflict, dialogue triumphs over violence and unity becomes our greatest strength,” Dr. Idris said.
The Arewa Cohesion for Peace, Unity and Development Initiative says it expects resolutions from the summit that will feed directly into policy recommendations for both state and federal authorities.
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