Tinubu: Military Action Insufficient for North-Central Peace

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu warned that military action alone will not bring lasting peace to the North-Central region of Nigeria. Speaking at the 2026 North Central Regional Security Summit in Makurdi, Benue State, where he was represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Tinubu urged stakeholders to tackle the underlying social, economic, and environmental factors contributing to insecurity.

He called for enhanced collaboration among governments, security agencies, traditional and religious institutions, and communities. Tinubu noted that insecurity has evolved beyond the capacity of any single entity to address, as criminal elements move across state and local government boundaries.

He acknowledged the military's significant gains against terrorism but stressed that military operations can only suppress violence without addressing the grievances that sustain it. Tinubu identified issues such as competition over land and water, climate change, and unresolved land-use disputes as critical factors needing attention.