Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, on Saturday raised the alarm over the rising wave of insecurity across the North-West, blaming it on porous borders, drug trafficking and the free flow of arms into the country.

Speaking at a security summit organised by the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on National Security in Kaduna, the governor lamented that criminal elements “move across our borders with astonishing ease”, retreating into neighbouring countries whenever threatened by security forces.

According to him, drug trafficking has become a major source of funding for bandit groups, while drug abuse among young people has provided armed gangs with recruits who are “manipulated, emboldened or enslaved” through narcotics.

Sani warned that the unchecked proliferation of weapons—estimated in tens of millions across the region—continues to fuel violent crimes.

To confront the challenge, the governor called for the creation of a North-West Theatre Command to bring the Nigerian Army’s 1st and 8th Divisions under a unified command structure. He said the arrangement would fast-track intelligence sharing and strengthen coordinated operations against cross-state criminal networks.

The governor also recommended the expansion of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to Nigeria’s border with the Republic of Niger, arguing that the model’s successes in the Lake Chad Basin should be replicated in the North-West to disrupt arms trafficking and deny criminals safe havens.

Sani stressed that the fight against insecurity cannot rely on military force alone. He 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.

“These committees will serve as early-warning systems, conflict-resolution platforms and bridges of trust between citizens and the state,” he said.

The governor renewed the call for state police, insisting that Nigeria’s centralised structure is overstretched and unable to adequately protect rural communities, which remain the hardest hit by banditry.

The summit was attended by top security officials, community leaders and lawmakers. It was reported by Idris Shehu and Bolanle Olabimtan.