President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has received detailed briefings from his aides on zonal security challenges, infrastructure needs, and grassroots development efforts across the country.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North-Central), Dr. Abiodun Essiet, disclosed this on Monday while addressing State House correspondents in Abuja. She was joined by her counterparts from the North-West, South-East, and South-West zones.
Dr. Essiet identified historical mistrust, land-grabbing, banditry, and illegal mining as key factors fueling insecurity and communal clashes in the North-Central region.
“Our briefing focused heavily on insecurity. We identified historical mistrust, land-grabbing, banditry, and illegal mining as major triggers of violence. The President has promised to strengthen peace structures and ensure our communities are safe,” she said.
According to Essiet, community peace structures have been set up across 121 local government areas, including 32 in Niger, 21 in Kogi, and 23 in Benue States, with deployment expected to commence this week across all 17 LGAs in Plateau State.
She explained that these structures will bring together traditional rulers, farmers’ associations, Fulani communities, youth, and women groups to promote dialogue, conflict resolution, and social reconciliation at the grassroots level.
Essiet added that President Tinubu has directed relevant ministries and agencies to take immediate steps toward rehabilitating critical road infrastructure in affected areas.
North-West: Tackling Out-of-School Children
In his remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North-West), Abdullahi Tanko-Yakasai, said his office is prioritising efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children in the region.
He said vulnerable children are being enrolled in primary schools and provided with uniforms, books, and other learning materials. While noting improved agricultural output this season, Tanko-Yakasai pointed out that access to fertiliser remains a challenge.
“We are the bridge between the Federal Government and the grassroots,” he said, adding that the President has promised intervention to ease fertiliser access.
Tanko-Yakasai also highlighted initiatives to mobilise voter registration and create awareness about the new student loan scheme and ongoing tax reforms.
South-East: Renewed Federal Presence and Citizens’ Engagement
The Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement (South-East), Chioma Nweze, revealed that the region has launched a Citizens’ Assembly aimed at strengthening engagement and understanding of government policies.
Nweze said renewed federal presence through ministerial appointments and major road projects has begun to restore public confidence in the administration.
“It’s been long since we saw federal presence in the South-East. But now, we are seeing a lot of road construction courtesy of this administration,” she noted.
She also disclosed that the Monday sit-at-home directive was losing traction, while the President has pledged support for youth skills acquisition and agricultural programmes across the region’s 95 local government areas.
South-West: Nationwide NIN Enrolment Expansion
Speaking for the South-West, Moremi Ojudu described discussions with the President as “insightful,” noting that President Tinubu emphasised the need to expand National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment nationwide to strengthen identity management.
She said her team would intensify grassroots sensitisation to deepen understanding of the Renewed Hope Agenda and promote peacebuilding.
“We owe it to ourselves to safeguard this country. We have nowhere else to go,” Ojudu said.
She also revealed that the President directed collaboration with key stakeholders on livestock reforms in the North-Central zone.
Representatives for the South-South and North-East zones were absent due to official engagements.
The Presidential Community Engagement Team was established to enhance grassroots mobilisation and provide real-time feedback to the Presidency on policy implementation and citizen response.