The Role Of State Governments In Overcoming Insecurity In Nigeria – By Uba Sani

By Uba Sani

Being lecture by the Governor of Kaduna State, His Excellency, Senator Uba Sani, CON, at the Distinguished Lecture Series of the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) on Tuesday, 11th November 2025, NIIA Conference Chamber, 13/15 Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
It is a profound duty to address this matter that strikes at the very heart of our nation’s well-being and future: The Role of State Governments in Overcoming Insecurity in Nigeria.
Insecurity has entrenched itself deeply within our national fabric, presents challenges far beyond mere public safety. It tests the resilience of our governance structures, threatens our developmental aspirations, and undermines the unity that binds us as one people. For too long, the discourse around insecurity has been dominated by responses anchored primarily in federal military and police actions, often neglecting the indispensable and strategic role that state governments must play in securing peace, restoring trust, and enabling prosperity at the grassroots level.

Most of us are aware that the fundamental justification for the existence of government is its role as a protector: shielding citizens from violence and ensuring collective security. In a world where chaos looms without order, the state’s legitimacy is rooted in its capacity to uphold peace, enforce laws, and provide a secure environment where individuals can thrive. It is its moral foundation and enduring claim to authority.
It is essential to acknowledge that insecurity in Nigeria is not merely a matter of law enforcement. It is symptomatic of deeper governance deficits, exclusionary politics, and socio-economic marginalisation. A purely militarised response, while necessary in some respects, is insufficient to stem the tide of violence that threatens to unravel the fabric of our communities. The solution lies in a comprehensive, multifaceted approach, with state governments assuming a leading role; not merely as intermediaries but as architects of peace, social cohesion, and economic revival.

STEMMING INSECURITY: THE KADUNA STATE EXAMPLE (MAY 2023 – TILL DATE)

When my administration took office in 2023, Kaduna was indeed a state beset by insecurity: banditry, kidnappings, communal conflicts, and terrorist incursions that left villages deserted, farms untended, markets silent, and social services disrupted. Instead of relying exclusively on militarised measures, we charted a path centered on inclusive governance, dialogue, and holistic development.

Our philosophy was straightforward: security is not the absence of violence but the presence of justice, opportunity, and mutual trust. Peace cannot be imposed; it must be cultivated from within communities through sustained engagement and empowerment. This birthed the Kaduna Peace Model – anchored on coordinated dialogue, grassroots inclusion, and socio-economic renewal.

THE KADUNA PEACE MODEL

The understanding is that insecurity transcend criminality to encompass grievances related to identity, resource access, and political exclusion. We convened over fifty consultative forums, engaging traditional rulers, Fulani herders, farmers, youth leaders, and religious figures. The truth is sustainable peace is inseparable from inclusion and the meaningful participation of all stakeholders in conflict resolution and governance.

We established Peace Councils at the senatorial districts level chaired by elders respected across ethnic and religious lines who served as vital mediators, resolving disputes before escalation and fostering a culture of reconciliation.

STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY POLICING

By empowering local vigilante groups through training, equipment, and communication tools, we forged a symbiotic relationship between communities and state security forces, especially the nation’s military, the police, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and so on. This yielded tangible results; restoring safety to vast swathes of farmland, reviving economic activities, reopening more than 535 schools, and revitalising livestock trade routes previously blocked by banditry.

LINKING PEACE TO DEVELOPMENT

Without development, peace remains fragile. Since 2023, Kaduna has embarked on an ambitious programme to rehabilitate and construct, in the first phase, 85 roads stretching over 785 kilometers, reconnecting isolated communities with urban centers and markets. Many of these infrastructure projects, especially those of them in rural and previously underserved communities, have been completed and commissioned. The second phase is delivering over 50 more roads and bridges totaling 550 kilometers. These efforts represent the physical manifestation of state presence and authority in vulnerable parts of the state.

EduWe have constructed or rehabilitated over 1,700 classrooms, established 62 new secondary schools, and reduced tuition fees at state tertiary institutions by half, making education accessible to even the most vulnerable.
My administration established three Institutes of Vocational Training and Skills Development at Rigachikun, Samaru Kataf, and Soba, all commissioned in June 2025 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Certified by the National Board for Technical Education, these centers offer training in Automotive Mechatronics, Carpentry, Welding, Aluminium fabrication, solar power installation, ICT, POP, Plumbing, Tiling and more, preparing Kaduna’s youth for the evolving job market. The iconic Panteka Market, Africa’s largest informal skills center, has been modernised with advanced tools and training, uplifting over 38,000 apprentices and blending tradition with innovation.

Before I assumed office as Governor in 2023, Kaduna State was number 12 in WAEC rankings. Today, we are number seven. And at the rate we are going, Kaduna State could become number one in the country by 2027.
In healthcare, more than 1,100 Primary Healthcare Centres have been built or refurbished. 255 of these Primary Healthcare Centres have been upgraded to level two, the highest by any State in Nigeria. Maternal health services have improved drastically. The commissioning of a 300-bed Specialist Hospital named in honour of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, reflects our commitment to world-class medical care for all citizens. Transportation innovations further illustrate the confluence of development and security. The introduction of 100 Compressed Natural Gas buses under the Kaduna Subsidised Transport Scheme, the ongoing construction of Kaduna’s Bus Rapid Transit system and its Southern Terminal: the first of its kind in Northern Nigeria, signals a leap toward urban modernization.
The Kaduna Light Rail project, now at an advanced stage, will be rolled out in phases. Phase 1 will revive the Rigachikun–Sabon Tasha corridor; Phase 2 will link Millennium City to the Abuja–Kaduna rail, re-tying some fifty kilometres of strategic transit. We are upgrading and digitising our trailer parks at Tafa and Maraban Jos in collaboration with private investors.

INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE AND UNITY

With Kaduna’s diverse social fabric encompassing Hausa, Fulani, Gwari, Kagoro, Katab, Kaje, Jaba, and other ethnic groups, as well as Muslims and Christians, our administration has consciously rejected ethnic and religious favouritism, fostering a culture rooted in meritocracy, accountability, and equal opportunity.
My administration has constituted an Interfaith Council. The council, comprising respected Christian and Muslim leaders, was established to promote dialogue, mutual understanding, and proactive engagement across religious and ethnic divides. Meeting quarterly, the council provides a platform for resolving grievances, fostering trust, and building lasting relationships among the state’s diverse communities. As a testament to its effectiveness, Kaduna has not experienced any ethno-religious crisis in the last two and a half years.
I dare say here that the recent mass political defections from other political parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress in Kaduna State reflect a growing political maturity, favouring competence and results over coercion or identity politics.
Our Financial Inclusion Strategy has integrated over 2.5 million previously unbanked citizens into the formal economy, facilitating access to credit, insurance, and savings for farmers, artisans, traders, and small businesses. This economic inclusion reduces vulnerability to exploitation and marginalisation, common catalysts for violent conflict.
It shows that state governments, operating closest to the people, have both the mandate and capacity to design locally relevant solutions often overlooked by federal frameworks.

COOPERATIVE FEDERALISM IN ACTION

The Kaduna experience also validates the principle of cooperative federalism. We have aligned our policies with the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The broader lesson is unmistakable: Nigeria’s insecurity is deeply rooted in governance deficits and socioeconomic exclusion. Where citizens feel abandoned, voiceless, or marginalised, grievances fester and violence erupts. State governments must therefore expand their roles beyond law enforcement to champion social justice, inclusion, and economic opportunity.
This paradigm shift is urgently needed. Traditional militarized responses have shown diminishing returns. While security forces remain indispensable, their efforts must be complemented by community engagement, institution building, and socioeconomic
revitalisation for lasting peace.

FROM RED TO AMBER

I am exceedingly proud and grateful; to note here that our peace efforts in Kaduna have not gone unnoticed by even the international community. On Wednesday, September 10, the United Kingdom Government officially revised its travel advisory for Kaduna State, moving it from “Red” to “Amber.” For a state that had been largely isolated on the international scene due to a deteriorating security situation, this shift was not just symbolic; it was profoundly transformational.
The revelation was made by Ms. Cynthia Rowe, Development Director of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), during the signing of a new Mutual Accountability Framework (KaMAF) between the Kaduna State Government and the FCDO.
According to the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the shift from “Red” to “Amber” reflects not only improvements in security but also the broader progress Kaduna has made in the last two and half years. It is a clear endorsement of the Kaduna Peace Model: an approach that draws on both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies, engaging traditional rulers, religious leaders, security agencies, and local communities in a collective bid to rebuild trust and create lasting stability.

CONCLUSION

I posit that insecurity is no abstraction but a lived reality demanding grounded, compassionate, and strategic responses. Since May 2023, my administration has witnessed the power of proximity-based governance to restore hope and stability. We inherited fear, violence, and mistrust, yet through bold people-centered interventions, strategic peace-building, social investments, and unwavering federal collaboration, we have reversed that narrative.
Nigeria’s future stability lies in this synergy; a federation that trusts its parts and a national leadership committed to collaboration over command.
May God bless our great nation, Nigeria.

Senator Uba Sani, CON

Governor of Kaduna State.