According to Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, President Bola Tinubu is dedicated to ensuring peace and security for the advancement of the country.
Idris made this statement on Wednesday in Abuja at his first speech as Chairman of the Board of the Niger State Development Forum (NSDF), a nonpartisan advisory group tasked with promoting development in Niger state, according to Naija News.
Idris stated that without peace and security, no progress could be made, and that President Tinubu was well aware of this fact.
“Let me take this opportunity to underscore the critical nexus between development, peace, security, and infrastructure. These components reinforce one another in addition to being related. Without peace and security, no significant development can occur, and on the other hand, the benefits of development frequently serve as a catalyst for stability and peace.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is well aware of this reality, and his administration is making significant investments in these vital areas as part of a comprehensive plan to change our country.
Mr. President has stated unequivocally that security is essential to the advancement of the country and cannot be compromised. Because of this, the Federal Government is working tirelessly to reinforce our national security architecture under his direction. The goal is very clear: to provide a secure and favorable atmosphere that will allow communities to flourish, businesses to prosper, and development to firmly establish itself,” he stated.
The Minister expressed gratitude to Ambassador Zubairu Dada, the former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the NSDF’s first Chairman, for his leadership and wisdom in managing the organization’s operations. He also pledged to build on the progress made under his direction.
Idris stated that under his watch, the Forum would leverage the intellectual and professional capacities of Niger State indigenes to support Governor Umar Bago in his efforts to drive the state’s development.
“Today, as we gather in the presence of His Excellency, the Governor, I reaffirm my full commitment to the Forum’s mission: to harness the intellectual and professional capacity of Nigerlites in advancing the development of our dear state.
“We are a non-political, impartial body, and that is our strength. Our diversity in experience and perspective allows us to serve as both bridge and catalyst: linking state with federal institutions, public with private sector, vision with action,” he stated.
Surrounding FCT Communities Are Forgotten – Bago
While inaugurating the new Board of the NSDF, Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, hailed the vision of the founders of the Forum, stressing that developing the state remains the top priority of his administration.
He noted that despite contributing 75% of the landmass of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the surrounding communities have remained largely underdeveloped.
“75% of the FCT was carved out of Niger State, however, most parts of Niger State that are adjourned to the FCT are slums. We have been bold in the last few months to revoke all the lands around the Zuma Rock to create a new city, and by May 29 (2025), there is going to be a groundbreaking of the new Government House annex behind the Zuma Rock,” he said.
According to Governor Bago, the Niger State Government has established strategic alliances to transform 50,000 hectares of land along the Suleija and Tafa corridors into a model city that will compete with some of the FCT’s upscale neighborhoods.
He promised to keep interacting with Forum members in order to further his administration’s objective of quickening Niger State’s development.
The Forum will be co-chaired by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, and will include notable members of Niger State’s elite.
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