Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state Tuesday  called for deeper collaboration between state governments, local authorities, and the federal government to effectively address Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, particularly in the northern region.

He made the appeal while delivering a lecture titled: “The Role of State Governments in Overcoming Insecurity in Nigeria” at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Distinguished Lecture Series in Lagos.

Speaking before diplomats, scholars, and security experts, Sani argued that state and local governments must take the lead in tackling security challenges because they understand their communities better.

“As the governor of Kaduna state, you need to ask me, how did we address insecurity in Kaduna? When we came into office, Kaduna was completely taken over by banditry, insurgency, and ethno-religious crises.

“Today, in the last two years, we have not experienced religious crises. We have also not had a single farmer-herder clash. That is not the role of Mr. President, it is the role of sub-national governments.”

He credited Kaduna’s relative improvement to governance built on justice, equity, and fairness.  He stated that delivering development equitably to all parts of the state, irrespective of political, ethnic, or religious affiliation, was central to restoring trust and reducing tensions.

“What is most important is for you as a leader to choose whether you are going to put politics first or governance. For us, it is governance,” Sani said.