The Africa Centre at the United States Institute of Peace has invited the governor of Katsina State, Mr Dikko Radda and nine other governors to a symposium on peace and security in Northern Nigeria.
The governors are from the north-west and north-central zones of the country, a statement on Tuesday by Mr Ibrahim Kaula, chief press secretary to Radda, said.
The other governors include Messrs Uba Sani (Kaduna), Abba Yusuf (Kano), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), and Umar Namadi (Jigawa).
Others are Ahmad Aliyu (Sokoto), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Mohammed Bago (Niger) and Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau).
According to the spokesperson, the symposium, scheduled for 23 to 25 April in Washington will explore the pressing security challenges in the region.
He said that the invitation was in recognition of the crucial role of state governors in mitigating security threats and fostering peace.
Kaula said the symposium aims to enhance the capacity of the governors in conflict prevention and peace building across Nigeria through dialogue and collaboration.
“The Africa Center seeks to empower governors to address the underlying causes of instability and strengthen peace building initiatives at local and state levels.”
He added that the northern governors and other participants will engage in panel discussions focusing on the drivers of insecurity and opportunities for stabilisation.
This, he said, is to deepen understanding of the complex security landscape, identify strategies to address the challenges, and explore opportunities for sustainable peace and development in the region.
Kaula also said a special panel discussion will be held focusing on “Strengthening commercial business and two-way trade between Nigeria and the US.”
This is to explore collaborative efforts between the governors, Nigerian civic groups, private businesses, and the international community to attract investments, generate employment, and foster economic development.
Many states in the north-west and north central regions of Nigeria are under attack by bandits who routinely raid villages and towns to steal cattle, loot food and kidnap residents for ransom. Some of the states have also witnessed the mass abduction of students from schools.
The national security adviser, Mr Nuhu Ribadu, on Monday, while receiving 23 students and staff of Federal University, Gusau in Zamfara State who were kidnapped in December but released on Sunday, said the federal government had secured the release of over 1,000 people kidnapped in Northern Nigeria within the last 10 months.
NAN
