President Tinubu Vows to Crush Banditry, Links Solution to Livestock Reforms

President Bola Tinubu has condemned banditry and terrorism as foreign to Nigerian culture and a major obstacle to the nation’s economy, pledging to strengthen security forces to defeat the menace.

Speaking on Monday at the opening of a two-day National Economic Council conference in Abuja, the President described the security crisis as a cause of sleepless nights for the nation’s leadership. He vowed to find immediate solutions to the violence plaguing several state.

“This banditry and terrorism are unacceptable. It is not part of our culture. It is foreign to us. So it is an economic hindrance if we do not find an immediate solution to it,” Tinubu stated.

The President’s commitment follows recent deadly attacks, including the February 3 massacre in Kwara State, where suspected Islamic extremists killed at least 162 people in Woro and Nuku communities. In a separate incident the same day, bandits killed at least 20 people in Katsina State.

Tinubu commended the efforts of several state governors, specifically naming the governors of Borno and Katsina states, in defending the nation’s liberty and commonwealth.

Linking the security challenges to agricultural reform, the President emphasized that the NEC conference must produce resolutions on ranching and livestock investment as a pathway to ending farmer-herder conflicts. He expressed confidence that the conference outcomes would include plans for dairy farming, livestock investment, and ranch development, promising to personally ensure their delivery.

This focus follows the President’s directive in December 2025 for Vice President Kashim Shettima and the NEC to develop a roadmap for transforming Nigeria’s livestock industry through ranching, aiming to eliminate conflict and create economic viability.

The NEC conference, chaired by Vice President Shettima and convened by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, is themed around delivering inclusive growth.

It brings together state governors, top officials, development partners, and private-sector leaders to address pressing macroeconomic priorities and deepen reforms under the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.