Defence Minister Backs Senate’s National Security Summit, Stresses Need for Strategic Action

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Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, His Excellency Mohammed Badaru, CON, mni, recently threw his weight behind the 10th Senate’s proposed two-day National Security Summit, describing it as a timely initiative to tackle Nigeria’s growing security concerns.

The Minister who spoke at the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing on President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s scorecard, emphasized that while the summit offers a valuable platform for dialogue, true progress lies in transforming ideas into concrete national defence strategies.

While responding to a question from a Punch Defence Correspondent, Badaru said: “When you hold a summit, you hear people speak, gather perspectives, and take those insights back to review and strengthen our strategy, which is translated into action. That’s how change happens.”

He commended the National Assembly’s effort to bring stakeholders together, calling it a “commendable move toward inclusive policy-making,” but stressed that talk must lead to tangible outcomes.

“The National Assembly is trying to bring people together to discuss the security situation. You hear a lot. I’ve personally consulted with many past Defence Ministers and Service Chiefs to understand both past and present challenges, and how we can improve. I’m sure the current Service Chiefs are doing the same,” he added.

Reiterating his position, the Minister concluded that while the summit is a step in the right direction, sustained progress depends on designing, refining, and executing robust defence strategies, not just discussion.

Recall that the senate had last week resolved to hold a two-day national security summit to discuss solutions to the rising insecurity in the country following a motion sponsored by Jimoh Ibrahim, senator representing Ondo South, at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday.

Leading the debate, Ibrahim had said the “high level” of global insecurity is driven by events in Russia and Ukraine and compounded by tensions between the global north and global south.

He insisted that these issues have worsened food insecurity and affected the attainment of sustainable development goals (SDGs).

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