The Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, has announced his full support for the upcoming National Security Summit organized by the National Assembly, marking a significant change in his previous stance.
On Sunday, Badaru stated that he would be participating in the two-day summit, emphasizing that it was a “timely initiative to tackle Nigeria’s growing security concerns.” He went on to pledge that he would work to ensure the summit’s outcomes would translate into meaningful actions aimed at addressing the nation’s security challenges.
This announcement comes as a stark contrast to remarks he made just days earlier. During an inter-ministerial briefing on Wednesday, Badaru had suggested that developing a comprehensive security strategy would be a more effective approach than hosting a summit.
This earlier comment had raised eyebrows, as it seemed to undermine the importance of the proposed summit and drew criticism from various quarters, particularly the Senate.
The Senate responded swiftly, reprimanding the Defence Minister for downplaying the significance of the summit. In a statement on Thursday, they warned Badaru against making remarks that could deepen the divide between the executive and legislative arms of government. Despite this, the Defence Minister’s recent change of heart signals a shift in his approach to national security.
In his latest comments, Badaru acknowledged that summits like the one proposed by the National Assembly are crucial for fostering dialogue and building inclusive policies. He noted that, “When you hold a summit, you hear people speak, gather perspectives, and take those insights back to review and strengthen our strategy, which is translated into action. That’s how change happens.”
Badaru also praised the National Assembly for taking the initiative and pledged to take an active role in ensuring the summit’s outcomes lead to concrete results. “I will participate in the National Assembly security summit and ensure that whatever outcomes from the summit are translated into action and lead to tangible results. It is a commendable move towards inclusive policy-making,” he said.
