Stakeholders in the South-South region, in collaboration with the Senate Ad Hoc Committee on National Security, have strongly advocated for a decentralised, grassroots-focused strategy to address the region’s escalating security challenges.
This call for a paradigm shift was made on Thursday, November 28, 2025, during the South-South Zonal Public Hearing on National Security held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Convened under the theme “The Way Forward to Tackling National Security Issues at the Local Level,” the summit assembled executive, legislative, and traditional institutions to diagnose threats ranging from crude oil theft to communal clashes.
Speaking on behalf of Rivers State Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Benebo Anabraba, urged the federal government to move beyond a centralised security structure.
He argued that a “sincerely driven” approach must include the voices of local communities, describing the event as a vital feedback mechanism from the people to policymakers.
Dr. Anabraba highlighted the region’s specific vulnerabilities, asking the Senate to pay special attention to the peculiar natural environment of the coastal region, which serves as the gateway to the Gulf of Guinea.
While acknowledging the state’s collaboration with federal agencies, including the provision of operational vehicles, gunboats, and logistics, he emphasised that military hardware alone is insufficient.
He noted that the administration is prioritising youth empowerment to curb the economic desperation that often fuels piracy and illegal bunkering, asserting that security is a shared responsibility rather than the sole business of the government.
Senator Abba Moro, Chairman of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Security, described the current security situation as “hyper-headed,” citing threats that span environmental sabotage, banditry, and farmer-herder conflicts.
Senator Moro admitted that these challenges are deeply rooted in weak governance structures, economic deprivation, and historic grievances that have not been sufficiently addressed.
He stated that the Senate recognises that no security architecture can succeed without a clear understanding of local dynamics and promised that the committee’s findings would form the basis of legislative interventions and policy reforms.
Adding the voice of the traditional institution, the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Chike Worlu Wodo, called for a strengthening of trust between security agencies and local residents.
He identified collaborative intelligence sharing as the key to a crime-free community, urging leaders to work together to build safer societies.
This sentiment was echoed by religious leaders, including the Secretary general of the Christian Association of Nigeria (South-South), Bishop Lazarus Azia and Alhaji Nasir Awhelebe Uhor of the Rivers State Council for Islamic Affairs.
They emphasised the need for faith-based organisations to be properly integrated into the security architecture to help enlighten citizens on their civic roles.
Speaking for the Nigeria Police Force, ACP Okoro Iyke reiterated that while the force remains committed to its duties, it requires robust collaboration and information sharing from all stakeholders to effectively curb criminality.
The committee is expected to compile all the submissions into a comprehensive report for the 10th Senate
