President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for stronger collaboration with northern traditional rulers to tackle insecurity and promote national development. He made the appeal at the 8th Executive Committee Meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers' Council (NTRC) on Monday in Dutse, Jigawa State, where he was represented by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris. Idris delivered the President's message to traditional rulers and stakeholders from across Northern Nigeria, emphasizing the administration's recognition of traditional institutions as key partners in peacebuilding and governance.
The meeting, themed "Peace, Unity and Development of the North," heard Idris state that peace is essential for development and unity necessary for sustained progress. He described traditional rulers as custodians of culture, mediators in conflict, and vital links between government and citizens due to their grassroots influence and moral authority. The Minister noted ongoing efforts by the Tinubu administration to strengthen coordination among the Armed Forces, intelligence agencies, and other security institutions, resulting in gains against criminal and terrorist groups.
Idris acknowledged that security operations alone cannot guarantee lasting peace, stressing the need to address underlying issues like poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion. He highlighted federal initiatives aimed at job creation and economic growth, including interventions in agriculture, solid minerals, infrastructure, and support for micro, small and medium enterprises. The establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development was presented as a strategic move to modernize the sector, support pastoral communities, and reduce resource-based conflicts.
Other highlighted projects include the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway. The Minister also referenced the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP) as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda to expand economic opportunities. He expressed confidence that the NTRC meeting would yield actionable recommendations to advance peace and development in the North.
The Minister spoke of tackling insecurity through economic intervention while omitting any data on how many of the announced programmes have reached affected communities. The Sultan of Sokoto's council is being asked to mobilize grassroots support for an agenda whose real-world impact remains unmeasured. Traditional rulers are framed as essential to peace, yet the government relies on distant federal projects rather than empowering local institutions with resources or decision-making roles. This gap between symbolic recognition and tangible partnership risks reducing their role to endorsement without influence.
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