Senate Committee Convenes Security Summit in Kaduna, Proposes North-West Theatre Command to Tackle Escalating Banditry and Mass Abductions

Federal lawmakers, top security chiefs, and senior government officials today, Saturday, November 29, 2025, convened in Kaduna for a crucial Public Hearing of the North-West Zonal Security Summit, organized by the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on National Security. The high-level convergence, themed “Building Robust Regional Collaborations to Tackle Insecurity: Pathways for Securing the Future,” addressed the alarming escalation of banditry, mass abductions, and terrorism plaguing the seven states of the North-West geopolitical zone.

The summit saw participation from the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, members of the Senate Committee, retired military and police chiefs, and traditional rulers from the region. The urgent necessity of the meeting was underscored by the recent waves of attacks, including mass school abductions in Kebbi and Niger states, which have heightened public fear. In his address, Governor Uba Sani called for an overhaul of the current security framework, advocating for a new security architecture built on a blend of military strength, community engagement, and long-term development.

Notably, the Governor proposed the creation of a North-West Theatre Command, suggesting that merging the Army’s 1st and 8th Divisions under a single unified structure would accelerate intelligence sharing, enhance coordinated operations, and more effectively dismantle cross-state criminal networks utilized by bandits. Discussions across the sessions focused intensely on strengthening inter-agency cooperation to achieve a unified front against the criminal elements and adopting comprehensive approaches that address both the operational and socio-economic root causes of insecurity in the zone.