By Joy Omagha Idam, Abuja
The pioneer Inclusion and National Security Summit has called for greater inclusion of women, youths, communities and other stakeholders in Nigeria’s security architecture, stressing that inclusion is essential to building a safer, stronger and more united nation.
The summit, themed “Inclusion as an Imperative for Nation-Building in Times of Insecurity,” noted that Nigeria’s security challenges, including kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, violent attacks, farmer-herder conflicts and organised crime, require collective action beyond the capacity of government and security agencies alone.
The summit declared: “In times of insecurity, inclusion is not just a moral ideal—it is a practical and necessary pathway to a safer, stronger nation.”
It stressed that national security should ultimately be about protecting people, their dignity, freedom and right to live without fear.
According to the organisers, “Security cannot be achieved by force alone. It cannot be sustained by government alone, and it cannot succeed without the people it is meant to protect.”
The summit emphasised the importance of community intelligence, noting that farmers, teachers, traditional rulers, women, young people, technology experts and other citizens often possess valuable information that can help security agencies detect early warning signs and prevent violence.
It warned that excluding such voices means losing “intelligence, trust, early warning, and sometimes, the opportunity to prevent tragedy.”
Women Central to Peace and Security
A major focus of the summit was the role of women in national security, with participants highlighting the importance of implementing the four pillars of UN Security Council Resolution 1325—Participation, Protection, Prevention, and Relief and Recovery.
The summit stressed that women should not be viewed merely as victims of insecurity but as “leaders, negotiators, peacebuilders, policymakers, security professionals, intelligence contributors and critical partners in preventing conflict.”
It further declared: “Women’s inclusion is not simply a gender issue—it is a peace and security imperative.”
The summit also cautioned that appointing women to positions without giving them real influence does not amount to genuine inclusion.
“Presence is not the same as inclusion. True inclusion means participation with impact,” it stated.
According to the summit, greater inclusion creates a chain that strengthens national security: “Inclusion builds belonging. Belonging builds trust. Trust builds cooperation. And cooperation builds security.”
The gathering also called for stronger collaboration among government, security agencies, communities, the private sector, academia, civil society, traditional institutions, women and youth.
It noted that “Inclusion is not a burden on government—it is a force multiplier,” adding that sustainable security requires a combination of enforcement, prevention, opportunity and inclusion.
From Dialogue to Action
The summit urged participants to move beyond speeches and translate discussions into practical commitments, particularly in strengthening community-security cooperation, expanding women and youth participation, using technology for early warning, and ensuring research informs government policy.
“Ideas without ownership remain documents. Ideas with ownership become change,” the summit declared.
In its closing charge, the summit urged Nigerians to choose inclusion over division and strengthen trust between citizens and the state.
It concluded: “National security is a shared responsibility because nation-building is a shared responsibility.”
The summit further declared: “Our diversity is not our weakness. Managed wisely, it is our strength.”
It challenged stakeholders to leave the gathering with concrete commitments, partnerships and policies capable of making Nigeria “safer, stronger, more inclusive, and more united.”
The summit ended with a powerful reminder: “Security protects a nation—but inclusion gives every citizen a reason to defend it.”