Secure South-East Vital to Nigeria’s Growth – Information Minister

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said lasting peace and security in the South-East are essential to Nigeria’s unity, economic growth and national development.

Speaking at the 2026 South-East Regional Security Summit in Umuahia, Abia State, on Thursday, Idris stressed that national prosperity depends on stability across all regions.

“When the South-East is secure, Nigeria is stronger. When every region enjoys peace, our democracy flourishes. And when we stand together as one people, united by a common destiny, no force can diminish the promise of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

The minister called for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to tackling insecurity, involving governments, security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society and citizens.

He said the Tinubu administration remained committed to protecting lives and property through improved intelligence sharing, stronger inter-agency coordination, better equipment for security agencies and international partnerships.

“The Federal Government remains fully committed to ensuring that every community across the South-East enjoys lasting peace and security. Security is the foundation for investment, education, agriculture and economic prosperity,” Idris added.

He also urged Nigerians to reject misinformation and support ongoing efforts to strengthen grassroots policing through constitutional reforms on state police.

Abia State Governor Alex Otti described security as the foundation of development, saying, “We cannot afford to surrender this great land and its people to the forces of insecurity. Security is the foundation upon which all our hopes for development and prosperity rest.”

Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd), said security was a shared responsibility, adding that enhanced training, modern equipment, improved intelligence gathering and stronger inter-agency collaboration were strengthening Nigeria’s security response.

The summit brought together federal and state government officials, lawmakers, security chiefs, traditional rulers, religious leaders and civil society stakeholders to discuss collaborative strategies for improving security and regional stability in the South-East.