tsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, along with nine other northern state governors, recently returned from a trip to the United States with a fresh understanding of the security issues plaguing their region.
The delegation, which included Jigawa State Governor Mallam Umar Namadi, attended a peace summit hosted by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) two weeks ago.
The summit, which began on April 23, 2024, served as a forum for the governors to discuss the pressing issues impacting their states and the broader region. Despite criticism from some quarters, Governor Radda defended the trip, stating that it provided valuable insights into resolving the region’s security crisis.
During the three-day symposium, the ten governors engaged with various stakeholders to brainstorm solutions to the insecurity troubling their constituents. Radda clarified that the USIP, not the selected northern state governors, initiated the meeting. The aim was to devise sustainable solutions to the problems affecting their people.
It’s worth noting that northern Nigeria has been grappling with security challenges, including banditry and kidnapping, for several years. The situation has resulted in numerous deaths and abductions. While there are various theories about the increasing insecurity in the region, Governor Radda dismissed the idea of political motives behind the banditry, instead pointing to injustice and poverty as the root causes.
