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Tag: Uba Sani

  • JUST IN: Uba Sani presents N985.9bn 2026 budget to Kaduna Assembly 

    JUST IN: Uba Sani presents N985.9bn 2026 budget to Kaduna Assembly 

    • …lists major gains in security, infrastructure, education

    Governor Uba Sani on Monday presented a ₦985.9 billion 2026 Appropriation Bill to the Kaduna State House of Assembly, describing it as a people-centred financial plan designed to consolidate ongoing reforms in security, infrastructure, education and rural development.

    Presenting the proposal before lawmakers at Lugard Hall, the governor said the budget was not just a constitutional obligation, but “a solemn civic engagement” anchored on transparency, equity and the welfare of citizens.

    He said the 2026 budget was shaped through one of the widest consultation processes ever undertaken in the state, involving traditional rulers, CSOs, women’s groups, youth associations, academia, business leaders and vulnerable groups across all local governments.

    According to him, inputs from farmers, traders, teachers, artisans, persons with disabilities and widows formed the backbone of the document, strengthening participatory governance and accountability.

    Reviewing the performance of 2025, Sani said the year would be remembered for “remarkable achievements and resilient advancement,” despite economic pressures, fluctuating federal allocations and lingering security concerns.

    Read Also: Insecurity: Badaru, Uba Sani, others call for unified security approach in northwest

    On security, the governor said Kaduna faced evolving threats ranging from banditry to kidnappings and communal conflicts, but noted that stronger collaboration with federal security agencies improved operations and restored confidence in many troubled communities.

    Through the Kaduna Peace Model, he said communities previously torn apart by conflicts were gradually reconciling, farmlands were reopening, and schools earlier shut due to insecurity had returned to full activity.

    On infrastructure, Sani announced that his administration was executing 140 road projects covering 1,335 kilometres, out of which 64 roads have been completed. 

    The new roads, he said, have opened economic corridors and linked previously neglected communities.

    The governor also highlighted the pace of the state’s transport reforms, especially the Bus Rapid Transit (KBRT) system, the first in Northern Nigeria, with CNG-powered buses, digital ticketing and a 24-kilometre dedicated corridor.

    He said the Interstate Bus Terminal in Kakuri, now 75 per cent completed, would sanitise intercity travel, while the subsidised transport scheme has saved residents over ₦500 million through free and discounted rides.

    Sani added that the Kaduna Light Rail Project was progressing, with Phase I targeting the Rigachikun–Sabon Tasha corridor and Phase II planned to link Millennium City with Rigasa, alongside ongoing construction of major bus parks across the state.

    On rural revitalization, the governor said more than 500,000 hectares of abandoned farmlands had been recovered and reopened, while feeder roads, markets and extension services were being restored to boost food production.

    Education, he said, remains the cornerstone of the state’s development push. In 2025 alone, the government reopened 535 schools and returned over 300,000 out-of-school children to classrooms, while cutting tertiary school fees by 40 per cent.

    He further listed the construction of 736 classrooms, renovation of 1,220 others, provision of boreholes, toilets, furniture and training for more than 33,000 teachers, alongside the establishment of bilingual schools and vocational hubs.

    On health, he announced the upgrade of all 255 Primary Healthcare Centres to Level 2 status, renovation of 15 General Hospitals, completion of five, and commissioning of the 300-bed Bola Ahmed Tinubu Specialist Hospital.

    Sani said his administration also implemented CONMESS and CONHESS for health workers, strengthened emergency services, built an oxygen plant, improved the state medical warehouse and earmarked ₦1 billion to insure vulnerable households.

    The governor also reeled out achievements in vocational training, including the establishment of the Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development in Rigachikun and two satellite campuses, partnerships with Microsoft and Google, and the remodeling of Panteka Market to support over 38,000 artisans.

    On agriculture, Sani recalled that the state’s investment grew from ₦1.4 billion in 2023 to ₦74.2 billion in 2025, enabling the distribution of over 900 trucks of free fertilizer, alongside support for irrigation, mechanization, livestock vaccines and seed improvement.

    He said the African Development Bank–supported $510 million Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone was transforming Kaduna into an agro-industrial hub, while the African Quality Assurance Centre would help farmers access export markets.

    Presenting the 2026 financial framework, Sani said the proposed ₦985.9bn budget comprises ₦734.2bn recurrent revenue and ₦251.6bn capital receipts, with capital expenditure taking 71%, reflecting the government’s development priorities.

    He said education and infrastructure each received 25%, health 15%, agriculture 11%, security 6%, social development 5%, governance 5%, and environment and climate action 4%, aligning with the state’s long-term transformation agenda.

    Sani reaffirmed that every one of the state’s 255 wards would continue to receive ₦100 million for community-identified projects under the Ward Development Committees, describing it as one of Nigeria’s largest grassroots budgeting models.

    He urged lawmakers to give the proposal expeditious consideration, saying the 2026 budget represents “renewal, resilience and a far-reaching vision” to ensure progress in every home, ward and local government area of Kaduna State.

    Responding after the presentation, the Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Hon. Yusuf Liman, commended the budget as “ambitious, comprehensive and aligned with the state’s development priorities.”

    He said the 2026 proposal reflects a clear commitment to expanding rural infrastructure, strengthening human capital and ensuring balanced development across urban and rural areas.

    Liman applauded the Governor for granting legislators direct involvement in constituency projects, describing it as the first in the state’s history, and for respecting the separation of powers.

    According to him, the synergy between the Executive and Legislature has enabled the Assembly to deliver democracy dividends and accelerate development interventions.

    The Speaker assured that the House would undertake a thorough and transparent review of the budget, promising to work closely with the executive to ensure.

  • Insecurity: Badaru, Uba Sani, others call for unified security approach in northwest

    Insecurity: Badaru, Uba Sani, others call for unified security approach in northwest

    Northwest leaders have renewed the call for a unified and decentralized security architecture to confront the worsening insecurity in the region.

    They spoke on Saturday during the north-west session of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on National Security Summit held in Kaduna.

    The summit, themed “Building Robust Regional Collaboration to Tackle Insecurity: Pathways for Securing the Future,” brought together senators, governors, traditional rulers, academics and security experts to review escalating banditry, kidnappings and cross-border criminality in the zone.

    Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, pushed for the establishment of a North-west Theatre Command to unify all military and security operations under a single operational structure. 

    He said only an integrated system rooted in community trust, cross-border partnerships and structural reforms could deliver long-term peace.

    He added a strong push for State Police, saying the national mood had finally aligned with what he had championed years earlier.

    According to him, “During my time in the Senate, I championed constitutional reforms to create State Police. I sponsored four major bills; SP 592, SP 594, SP 595 and others, aimed at decentralizing policing, strengthening oversight and modernizing law enforcement. These bills advanced, but at the time, we did not have full national consensus.”

    Governor Sani said the consensus now exists across the country, “today, virtually every governor agrees that progress is impossible without State Police,” he said. “Many states already rely on vigilante services, Sokoto, Katsina, Kano and others, but they remain ineffective because the law forbids them from carrying the weapons needed for self-protection. Sending them out unarmed amounts to a death sentence.”

    He insisted that State Police must be built on safeguards that prevent political abuse and preserve professionalism.

    “A new policing architecture must include an Independent State Police Commission, clear oversight mechanisms, professional standards and strict limits on political interference. This is the model I have advocated for years.”

    Beyond policing reforms, Governor Sani pressed for deeper regional synergy, saying that, “the North-west requires an integrated system that balances military effectiveness, community engagement and development. 

    The central component should be the creation of a North-west Theatre Command, bringing the Army’s 1 Division and F Division under a unified structure.”

    He also proposed permanent security committees at state and local government levels comprising traditional rulers, religious leaders, women’s groups, youth organisations, civil society and security agencies.

    The Defence Minister, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, stressed that the government was committed to a whole-of-society approach, warning that Nigeria cannot rely solely on military solutions.

    He said progress had been recorded with the reopening of major routes, activation of Forward Operating Bases and the return of displaced villagers, but more work remained to tackle bandits, terror cells and organized criminal networks.

    “The shield of the Armed Forces must be paired with the foundation of a Whole-of-Society Approach. National security cannot be achieved by the military alone; it requires the active participation of every citizen,” the minister said.

    Badaru commended governors for establishing complementary security outfits such as the Community Protection Guard in Zamfara and the Community Watch Corps in Katsina, describing them as effective force multipliers.

    He also acknowledged the role of traditional rulers, religious leaders, women, youth and civil society in mobilizing communities and strengthening resilience.

    Professor Muhammad Kabir Isa of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, identified governance deficits, poverty, unemployment and environmental stress as core drivers of insecurity. He called for a multidimensional framework that addresses the root causes alongside military operations.

    The summit resolved to establish a regional security collaboration mechanism for the North-west as part of broader national efforts to stabilise the country and entrench sustainable development.

    Earlier, Chairman of the Organising Committee, Senator Babangida Hussaini, said similar meetings had been held in other zones as a prelude to the National Security Summit slated for December 1, 2025, in Abuja.

    He described the initiative as evidence of the Senate’s sensitivity to Nigeria’s worsening security challenges and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to finding actionable and lasting solutions.

    Hussaini noted that the North-west’s security problems, from banditry and kidnappings to ransom-driven exploitation and humanitarian displacement, required a holistic and region-specific intervention.

    “This summit provides an auspicious opportunity to examine cross-cutting issues fuelling insecurity in the North-west and to suggest practical pathways toward lasting solutions,” he said.

  • ACF@25: Gowon, Uba Sani, elders push for united front against insecurity

    ACF@25: Gowon, Uba Sani, elders push for united front against insecurity

    At the event climaxing the 25th anniversary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on Saturday, Northern leaders have warned the region must urgently rebuild its unity and confront insecurity head-on or risk sliding into deeper turmoil.

    Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, who served as the Chairman of the occasion, delivered a stern reminder that peace remains the North’s most precious but endangered asset.

    Gowon, who was represented by former Vice-President Mohammed Sambo, described unity, peace and harmony as the very oxygen required for development and collective dignity, saying that, the ACF was founded to champion moderation and national cohesion, insisting that those guiding principles must be restored as daily realities, not rhetorical slogans.

    According to Gowon: “Without unity we fracture. Without peace we stagnate,” he warned, noting that extremists continue to exploit divisions within northern communities.

    ACF Board of Trustees Chairman, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, said the forum emerged in 2000 to provide moral leadership as the North faced rising pressures—pressures that today have grown even more frightening.

    He cited repeated attacks, abductions and the killing of a senior military officer as proof that too many communities remain exposed to violent threats.

    “Government must find a way to end the violence rapidly. The consequences of failure, God forbid, are too frightening to contemplate,” Dalhatu stressed.

    He lamented the closure of hundreds of boarding schools due to insecurity, calling it a painful reflection of a region under siege and a generation at risk.

    Dalhatu urged deeper collaboration between traditional leaders, governors and security agencies, acknowledging current efforts but insisting “much more must be done.”

    Kaduna Governor Uba Sani, represented by Deputy Governor Dr Hadiza Balarabe, reaffirmed Kaduna’s commitment to sustaining peace, inclusion and rural transformation as non-negotiable pillars of development.

    He described Kaduna as the “historic centre of Northern identity,” adding that hosting the ACF headquarters is not just an honour but a solemn responsibility to shape the region’s future.

    Sani said his administration had embraced a leadership model rooted in inclusion, transparency, reconciliation and citizen participation—an approach he said was rebuilding trust across long-fractured communities.

    He outlined the Kaduna Peace Model, which integrates governance, security, urban planning, infrastructure and environmental reforms into what he called “one ecosystem of stability.”

    On security, he said improved intelligence coordination had reduced threats significantly and encouraged farmers to return to their farmlands under strengthened mechanisation and market-access programmes.

    The Governor listed expansions in healthcare, school enrollment, teacher support and tertiary institution upgrades, describing education as the bedrock of long-term peace and prosperity.

    He noted that 71 percent of Kaduna’s 2026 capital budget targets rural transformation and inclusive growth, reflecting the state’s focus on infrastructure, livelihoods and social inclusion.

    As the gathering closed, leaders agreed that the North’s future hinges on unity, decisive security action and sustained investment in people. The ACF, they declared, must continue as the intellectual engine driving the region toward peace, stability and shared progress.

  • Kaduna accelerates statewide infrastructure projects under Uba Sani – KADRA boss

    Kaduna accelerates statewide infrastructure projects under Uba Sani – KADRA boss

    The Kaduna State Government has intensified major infrastructure projects across the state in line with Governor Uba Sani’s development blueprint, according to the Managing Director of the Kaduna State Roads Agency (KADRA), Dr. Abdullahi Baba Ahmed.

    Dr. Ahmed, who also serves as the Governor’s Overseeing Adviser on Project Monitoring, Implementation, and Result Delivery, led an inspection team to several ongoing projects in Zone 1.

    He said all 23 local government areas had benefited from at least one major intervention in the last two years.

    In Zaria Local Government, he noted that the administration inherited the 35km Dogon Bauchi–Kakiyeyi–River Galma road project and has now completed it fully.

    The Hanwa–Agoro–Hanga Ruga rural access road has also been completed, delivering long-awaited relief to communities previously hindered by poor connectivity.

    He added that the 35.6km Bagoma–Gagumi road in Birnin Gwari stands as the longest new road project in the area in decades, while the 35km Gadan Gayan–Gwaraji–Kujama Junction road linking Igabi and Chikun LGAs is already transforming the movement of goods and people along the corridor.

    Other roads inspected include the Makarfi–Durum–Kurntumawa road, the Kudan–Sabongari road, and several access routes around the Sabongari Market designed to ease traffic congestion and improve commercial activities.

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    The inspection team also visited Makarfi General Hospital, which is undergoing comprehensive remodelling, structural upgrades, and installation of modern medical equipment as part of the state’s efforts to revitalise healthcare infrastructure.

    Ziad Karam of MotherCat Ltd., contractors handling the Zaria and Makarfi road projects, said construction had reached the final stages, with hydraulic structures and earthworks completed.

    He assured that MotherCat would deliver the roads before the end of the year and praised host communities for their cooperation.

    Site Engineer for the Makarfi General Hospital, Mr. Gbolahan Awoleru, said electrical installations, roofing, and tiling had been completed.

    He affirmed that the hospital would be ready for handover before year-end, describing the project as a “major boost” to healthcare delivery in the zone.

    Residents of Sabongari and neighbouring communities commended the government for the renewed momentum on development projects.

    Bashir Ahmed, a trader at the Sabongari Central Market, said road works had eased business activities, while another resident described the hospital renovation as “long overdue.”

    Dr. Ahmed reaffirmed that major contractors—including MotherCat, CGC China, CCECC, PW, and FAMTRAC—are actively handling various projects across the state.

    He stressed that all interventions align with Governor Uba Sani’s agenda to strengthen infrastructure, expand economic opportunities, and improve citizens’ quality of life.

    He assured that the government would maintain close monitoring to ensure timely delivery and adherence to high construction standards across all project sites.

  • Kaduna Peace Model: Sani rewrites Nigeria’s security playbook

    Kaduna Peace Model: Sani rewrites Nigeria’s security playbook

    By Adekunle Akinmosa

    On Tuesday, November 11, 2025, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State delivered in Lagos, what may be described as one of the most grounded, experience-backed lectures on tackling insecurity in modern Nigeria. The occasion, Distinguished Lecture Series of Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), was chaired by the eminent former Minister of External Affairs, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, and attended by notable figures including Senator Adeleke Mamora. It offered a platform for the governor to distill what has quietly been unfolding in Kaduna over security since he assumed office in May 2023.

    Speaking on the topic, ‘The role of state governments in overcoming insecurity in Nigeria,’ Sani summarised his difficult but determined journey to restore peace and stability in one of the country’s most complex theatres of conflict. His lecture went beyond recounting achievements but offered a blueprint for what is possible when political will, strategic clarity and inclusive governance converge.

    Donning a cream coloured Agbada, Sani, composedly described how upon assuming office, Kaduna was still grappling with banditry, kidnappings, rural violence and the aftershocks of communal distrust. But rather than resort to a single-track approach, his administration designed a layered security architecture. On the kinetic side, the state intensified collaboration with security agencies, strengthened local intelligence networks and facilitated better coordination among the military, police, and civil defence operatives stationed across volatile communities. These measures helped re-establish control over previously vulnerable corridors.

    Yet the more compelling part of his lecture lay in his explanation of the non-kinetic strategies. From the outset, his government recognised that insecurity feeds on economic despair, youth alienation and breakdown of trust between citizens and institutions. To rebuild Kaduna’s social fabric, the administration invested heavily in community engagement, grassroots dialogue, local peace committees and interventions aimed at reviving livelihoods in affected communities. It was those series of initiatives that birthed what is now christened ‘Kaduna Peace Model.’

    According to the governor, many young people drifting into crime were not inherently violent; they were economically cornered. Creating alternatives, therefore, equated to crime prevention.

    “Central to this model is the understanding that the roots of insecurity transcend criminality to encompass grievances related to identity, resource access, and political exclusion,” said Sani.

    “We therefore convened over 50 consultative forums, engaging traditional rulers, Fulani herders, farmers, youth leaders and religious figures. These dialogues underscored a universal truth: sustainable peace is inseparable from inclusion and meaningful participation of all stakeholders in conflict resolution and governance.”

    But the realistic administration understood that conversations are only the beginning. He calmly laid out how Kaduna’s security challenge demanded a blend of kinetic and non-kinetic interventions. The governor’s argument was that insecurity is multidimensional, and any government that treats it as a problem to be solved solely through force is only postponing its recurrence. There had to be involvement of all stakeholders in the advancement of the economy too.

    Sani then walked the audience through specific examples such as the reactivation of rural development programmes, the support for smallholder farmers, the expansion of vocational and technical training, and the push for inclusive governance that gives communities a sense of belonging. In the lecture, he explained that forums and continuous interface with traditional rulers and religious leaders, his government sought to rebuild trust, which in turn made information-sharing smoother and reduced the space for criminality to thrive unnoticed.

    But what truly broadened the conversation was his emphasis on how Kaduna secured federal government cooperation at levels rarely achieved in other states. Rather than operate in isolation, Sani noted that effective governance in modern Nigeria requires synergy, not rivalry, between tiers of government. He disclosed one of the manifestations of this synergy with the federal government as Kaduna’s readiness to kickstart its own Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems as well as a light rail project. According to the governor, when people can move safely, predictably and affordably, the economic ecosystem expands; crime shrinks naturally because more people become productively engaged.

    Read Also: Akume mourns veteran journalist, Agbese, says Nigeria has lost a national treasure

    This integrated approach of linking security with development, infrastructure, and economic opportunity was the backbone of Sani’s NIIA lecture. And this is what has played out in places like Birnin Gwari and a few other places that used to be a hotbed for banditry and kidnapping but are now secured with residents back to living safely there. In fact, the famed Kara Livestock Market that was closed for over a decade now thrives, loading thousands of heads of cattle across the country. Also, in September 2025, the United Kingdom moved its travel advisory to Kaduna for its citizens from ‘red’ to ‘amber’, which Sani said means “British citizens are now free to travel to Kaduna State.”

    The lecture also served a broader purpose. At a time when insecurity remains a defining challenge across the country, leaders are searching for workable models. He acknowledged that each state has its peculiarities, but insisted that the principles of inclusive security remain universal. Listening to him, one could sense a quiet challenge addressed to political leaders nationwide. Sani’s message to his fellow governors was clear. What is happening in Kaduna is not magic, and it is not unique to the state. Any government that prioritises people, embraces collaboration, strengthens institutions and invests in development alongside enforcement can replicate the progress.

    Governance should move beyond rhetorics, reactionary crisis management, and adopt preventive, systems-driven, citizen-centered strategies. And leaders must recognise that security begins where dignity begins, hence a need to constantly create opportunities. An individual isolated from democratic goods is merely a ticking bomb. Leadership must also embrace inclusivity and deliberate partnership with its various organs.

    What makes the Kaduna story noteworthy is not that all problems have been solved. Even the governor admitted that the work is far from finished. Rather, it is that the trajectory has changed.

    “Since May 2023, my administration has witnessed the power of proximity-based governance to restore hope and stability,” Sani said while concluding.

    “We inherited fear, violence, and mistrust, yet through bold people-centred interventions, strategic peacebuilding, social investments and unwavering federal collaborations, we have reversed that narrative.”

    In Kaduna today, democratic dividends are being steadily unleashed, ensuring agriculture resumes, commerce boom and industries blossom while insecurity is being driven away. Many communities that were previously terrorised by criminal gangs, farmers have returned to their farms, rural markets that once shut early now operate freely, and residents who once slept lightly now speak of a calm they had nearly forgotten.

    These transformations did not materialise accidentally. They arose from policy consistency and from a government willing to confront root causes rather than symptoms. And if other states choose to borrow from Sani’s strategies, Nigeria’s national search for peace may finally begin to find direction.

    In concluding his lecture, Governor Sani reminded the audience that peace is not a trophy a state wins but a condition it must continuously cultivate. The applause that followed was not merely out of courtesy. It was an acknowledgment of the clarity with which he articulated the Kaduna experience and the usefulness of the less ons he shared.

    • Akinmosa writes from Abuja

  • Why state police is inevitable, by Uba Sani

    Why state police is inevitable, by Uba Sani

    • SANs advocate decentralised system

    Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani yesterday restated his long-standing advocacy for state police by calling for the decentralisation of the nation’s security architecture.

    He argued that the decentralisation of the security apparatus, especially the Police, would enable states to play more active roles in tackling insecurity in their respective boundaries.

    He consequently urged the National Assembly to amend the 1999 Constitution to give states authority over policing, under strict regulation.

    “The Federal Government alone cannot secure Nigeria.  States must take proactive roles in protecting citizens, fostering inclusion, and driving development that underpins sustainable peace.

    ‘’A federated republic demands federated security,” Sani said.

    “Properly legislated and regulated state police forces are not threats to unity but guarantees of it,” he added.

    The governor spoke while delivering a lecture titled “The Role of State Governments in Overcoming Insecurity in Nigeria” at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos yesterday.

     His call was re-echoed by two Senior Advocates of Nigeria(SAN)—Yusuf Ali and Dele Adesina—who argued that no true federation operates a single, centralised police force.

    Commending  President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting state-led security initiatives under the Renewed Hope Agenda, Governor Sani recalled that when he served as a Senator,  he sponsored three bills seeking the decentralisation of policing and strengthening of national security governance.

     He said the bills were passed by both chambers of the National Assembly but stalled at the joint Constitution Review Committee in 2019.

    “That is why today we still do not have state police in Nigeria,”  Sani said, pointing to overstretched federal security agencies and a police force of fewer than 400,000 personnel for over 230 million citizens.

    He argued that state-led security initiatives, combined with community engagement, were critical to bridging the protection gap.

    Read Also: Uba Sani is divine gift to Kaduna, says Fani-Kayode

    As a step towards creation of state police, all 36 governors has signed up for it at the National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

    Governor Sani detailed Kaduna’s broader security and development strategy, which linked intelligence sharing, community involvement, and social investments in education, healthcare, transportation and infrastructure to tackle the root causes of violence.

    Describing the Kaduna’s approach as “cooperative federalism in action,”   he said regular meetings of the State Security Council ensured quick responses to emerging threats.

    Sani, who also reaffirmed at the lecture that the United Kingdom(U.K.) had revised its travel advisory on Kaduna State from “Red” to “Amber,”  said that insecurity had become one of the country’s biggest governance tests.

    He stressed that only a people-centred and locally-driven security framework would yield lasting peace.

    He said: “For too long, the discourse around insecurity has been dominated by federal responses, often neglecting the indispensable role of state governments.

    “The solution lies in a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach, with states assuming a leading role — not merely as intermediaries, but as architects of peace, inclusion and economic revival.” 

    The governor said his administration had recorded measurable progress through what he described as ‘The Kaduna Peace Model’ — a framework anchored on dialogue, grassroots engagement and coordinated development.

    He recalled that when he assumed office, the state was faced with banditry, kidnappings and communal conflicts. But through regular consultations with community leaders, traditional rulers, youth groups and religious figures, his government has been able to restore confidence and reduce violence in many parts of the state.

    “Security is not merely the absence of violence but the presence of justice, opportunity and mutual trust,” Sani said. “Peace cannot be imposed; it must be cultivated through inclusion and empowerment.”

    Sani said the state had strengthened community policing by training and equipping vigilante groups to work alongside security agencies.

    The collaboration, according to him, has not only led to the reopening of more than 535 schools previously shut due to insecurity but also revived farming and trade in rural areas.

    Sani thanked NIIA’s Director-General, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, for hosting the event, and urged collaboration among tiers of government in the fight against insecurity.

    “The battle for security is fought equally in policy chambers and community halls,” he said. “Kaduna’s experience proves that with vision, courage and partnership, insecurity can be overcome,” Sani said.

    The governor added that his administration has constructed and rehabilitated over 1,300 kilometres of roads, built or renovated 1,700 classrooms, and upgraded 1,100 primary healthcare centres.

    He said 255 of the upgraded centres were now operating at Level Two — the highest in the country — while the newly inaugurated  300-bed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Specialist Hospital reflects his government’s commitment to human security.

    “Peace, without development, remains fragile,” he said. “Our recovery efforts are deliberately linked to infrastructure renewal and social investment.”

    Sani noted that Kaduna’s religious and ethnic diversity — once a source of division — had now become a source of strength through sustained interfaith dialogue and inclusive governance.

    He said the state had not recorded any ethno-religious crisis in the last two and a half years due to deliberate policies to promote merit, fairness and accountability.

    On U.K.’s warning to its citizens desirous of travelling to Kaduna State, Sani said: “This reclassification is not merely symbolic—it is a public declaration of confidence in our leadership and the steady hand with which we are steering the ship of state. ” 

     NIIA boss   Osaghae lauded Governor Sani for what he described as “a practical and experience-based lecture that connects local governance with national stability”.

     Osaghae said the governor’s presentation demonstrated how subnational governments could be central to Nigeria’s long-term security reform.

     “The governor’s ideas reflect the emerging consensus that states must not remain passive recipients of federal directives but active partners in national development and peacebuilding,” the DG said.

    He praised the Kaduna Peace Model as a governance innovation worth studying, noting that it had combined “grassroots consultation, inclusive dialogue and socio-economic reconstruction” to produce tangible results.

    Chairman of the NIIA Governing Council, former Foreign Affairs Minister, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi; Ambassador Suleiman Dahiru,  academics and policy experts attended the event.

    Akinyemi described Sani as one of Nigeria’s most notable democrats, commending his record of translating vision into action and positioning Kaduna as a national example in security management.

    ‘Security policies  not  protecting  citizens’

    At the Gavel International Annual Lecture and Awards 2025 in Lagos,  senior lawyer Ali said current national security policies have deepened human suffering and created new categories of victims.

    He made the observation while speaking  on  “The Impact of National Security Policies on Vulnerable Populations: A Human Rights Perspective.”

    Ali warned that the nation’s counter-terrorism and law enforcement strategies have drifted perilously from their constitutional foundations, resulting in widespread violations against the very citizens they were meant to shield.

    He stated that the vulnerable, including the poor, women, children and internally displaced persons (IDPs) had become unintended, yet consistent, casualties of the government’s efforts to combat terrorism, banditry, and separatist agitation.

    The Senior Advocate stressed that national security cannot be pursued at the expense of human security.

    He urged policymakers to adopt a people-centred approach, where human dignity forms the bedrock of every security framework.

    In his contribution, Adesina described the 1999 Constitution as a fundamentally flawed document that undermines true federalism and effective governance.

    He cited scholars who have variously called the document a fraud and an illogical document.

    Adesina noted that despite Nigeria being a supposed federation, many of the constitution’s provisions are unitary, particularly concerning policing.

    He pointed to Section 214, which mandates only one police force, and Section 215, which restricts governors’ operational control over Commissioners of Police.

    “How can governors be chief security officers when they lack control over law enforcement?” he queried.The SAN urged constitutional reform to correct these fundamental structural defects, insisting that no true federation operates a single, centralised police force.

      Major-General James  Atagura, who spoke on security issues, identified corruption and the absence of an effective system of punishment as the core drivers of insecurity in the country.

    He lamented the collapse of justice and accountability, noting that widespread impunity emboldens criminality across the political landscape.

    “Can anyone genuinely go to court and expect justice without bias?” he asked.

    “We see election malpractice, certificate forgery, and corruption go unpunished. Governors finish eight years and vanish when the EFCC comes knocking, while their predecessors remain in court 15 years later. Without justice, society reverts to a state of nature,” he added.

    Earlier, the founder of Gavel International, Mustapha  Ogunsakin, urged leaders to rise above partisanship and unite against insecurity.

  • Insecurity: Sani to deliver  lecture at NIIA today

    Insecurity: Sani to deliver  lecture at NIIA today

    Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani will today deliver a lecture on insecurity at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The lecture, titled: The Role of State Governments in Overcoming Insecurity in Nigeria, is part of the NIIA’s distinguished lecture series aimed at fostering national dialogue on key governance and security issues.

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    The event, which is scheduled to hold at the NIIA Conference Chamber, will be chaired by the  Chairman of the NIIA Governing Council and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi.

    The lecture is expected to attract policymakers, scholars, and stakeholders in national security and governance.

  • Sani decorates Commander of Kaduna’s security outfit, ‘Operation Fushin Kada’

    Sani decorates Commander of Kaduna’s security outfit, ‘Operation Fushin Kada’

    Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has decorated the Commander of Operation Fushin Kada, Usman Maibindiga, following his promotion from Superintendent of Police (SP) to Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP).

    Operation Fushin Kada is a special joint security outfit established by the Uba Sani-led administration in collaboration with the Kaduna State Police Command to tackle banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes across the state.

    Governor Sani described Maibindiga’s elevation as a well-deserved reward for hard work, courage, and professionalism. He said the officer had shown exceptional leadership and dedication in coordinating field operations that restored peace in several parts of the state.

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    He noted that the government will continue to prioritise the welfare of security personnel, stressing that “men like CSP Maibindiga represent the spirit of sacrifice and patriotism Kaduna State celebrates.”

    CSP Maibindiga, a native of Nguru in Yobe State, holds degrees in Computer Science, International Affairs, and Diplomacy, as well as a postgraduate diploma in International Law and Diplomacy. Since joining the Nigeria Police in 2014, he has held several strategic positions and led successful operations across the North-West and North-East.

    The Governor also celebrated the officer’s wife and their newborn son, Usman Zunnurain, whom he fondly called “the Baby of the Year” and “a true child of Kaduna State.”

    The event was attended by senior security officials, including the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), and Maibindiga’s family.

  • Defections: Kaduna now one big family, says Uba Sani

    Defections: Kaduna now one big family, says Uba Sani

    Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has said his administration’s inclusive leadership style, anchored on fairness, justice, and even development, is the reason behind the mass defection of opposition lawmakers to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Sani spoke at a mega rally in Kafanchan Township Stadium where Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, representing Southern Kaduna, and three other legislators defected to the APC.

    The governor said the development signified growing unity and confidence in his government.

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    He said the opposition had 12 members in the House of Representatives as of May 29, 2023, while the ruling APC had only four. “But in the last two and a half years, 10 House of Representatives members have defected from the opposition to the APC. The PDP also had 12 members in the State House of Assembly, but today, seven have joined our party. That shows we are running an inclusive government,” he said.

    Sani added: “Kaduna State is now one big happy family under the canopy of the APC.”

    The governor urged other opposition members to “cross over and join the train of progress”.

    Other defectors at the rally included Dan Amos, representing Jema’a/Sanga Federal Constituency; Ali Kalat, representing Jema’a Constituency in the State Assembly; and Yusuf Mugu, representing Kaura Constituency, alongside thousands of their supporters.

    With the latest defections, Southern Kaduna — long regarded as a stronghold of the PDP – has effectively transformed into an APC enclave, as all elected representatives in the zone now belong to the ruling party.

  • Uba Sani is divine gift to Kaduna, says Fani-Kayode

    Uba Sani is divine gift to Kaduna, says Fani-Kayode

    A former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has said Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani is a divine gift to the state.

    He said the way Sani got to the state’s highest office was God’s design to heal the state from years of bloodshed, mistrust, and discrimination against Christians.

    Fani-Kayode spoke at the Diocese of Kafanchan, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), during this year’s Synod and 35th anniversary celebration.

    The former minister said the governor’s inclusive approach to leadership has started reversing the injustices and divisions that once defined Kaduna’s political landscape.

    He added: “There was a time the 17 security chiefs in the country were all Muslims from the North, and Christians were openly discriminated against because of their faith, especially in Kaduna State. But with the coming of Governor Uba Sani, things have begun to change for the better.

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    “What he is doing should serve as an example to the rest of the country.”

    Fani-Kayode, who described Sani as one of his closest friends, said the governor’s leadership was a direct result of prayers offered by faithful Christians seeking divine intervention.

    “He is not an ordinary person. The governor you have today came as a consequence of prayer,” the ex-minister said.

    Recalling the December 25, 2016 incident, Fani-Kayode said the killing of over 800 Christians in four local governments in southern Kaduna remained one of the darkest chapters in Nigeria’s history.

    He said local hospitals were shut and the victims abandoned.

    Fani-Kayode described the era as one of neglect and persecution.

    The former minister regretted that Christian traditional rulers were killed and their people were treated “like filth”.

    According to him, the collective suffering strengthened the faith and resolve of the Christian community.

    “To be a Christian is not to be a second-class citizen or a slave,” he declared. “We prayed for deliverance, and God sent Uba Sani as an answer to those prayers.”

    The former minister noted that the governor has taken concrete steps towards reuniting the state.

    He stated that one of his steps to achieve this is the establishment of the Kaduna Elders’ Forum with Christian representation and active efforts to reduce any gap between the Muslims and the Christians.

    Fani-Kayode added that killings in southern Kaduna have stopped since Uba Sani assumed office, describing the state as more united and peaceful than before.

    The former minister applauded the governor’s humility and respect for all faiths, recalling a moment when Governor Sani removed his cap in reverence during a church service.

    He urged Christians and Muslims to deepen reconciliation, saying: “If you lost a child during the time of terror, adopt a child from the other faith. In faith, we are one. The overwhelming majority of Muslims are decent, God-fearing people who wish to live in peace with everyone.”

    Fani-Kayode hailed the people of southern Kaduna for their resilience, patience, and faith in God, despite years of pain.

    The ex-minister described them as “extraordinary,” urging them to continue on the path of peace and forgiveness.