The Essence of This Summit Is Not to Praise Ourselves for Past Gains, But to Map the Future and Stay Ahead of the Criminals — Gov. Alex Otti Reaffirms South-East’s Commitment to Regional Security

The Executive Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, has reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to sustaining peace and guaranteeing adequate security across the South-East, declaring that security remains the indispensable foundation upon which economic prosperity, social stability, and regional development are built.

Governor Otti made the declaration on Thursday, July 30, 2026, while hosting the First South-East Regional Security Summit 2026 at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Umuahia. The summit was organised by the Federal Ministry of Defence in collaboration with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-East) and attracted top government officials, security chiefs, policymakers, traditional rulers, religious leaders and stakeholders from across the region.

The high-level gathering, themed “Collaborative Approaches to Strengthening Security and Regional Stability,” focused on developing practical strategies for enhancing regional cooperation, intelligence sharing, and sustainable peace in the South-East.

Addressing participants, Governor Otti described the summit as both timely and necessary, emphasizing that security remains the bedrock of prosperity and the pillar upon which every meaningful developmental effort rests. He noted that the choice of theme aptly reflects the collective responsibility required to tackle contemporary security challenges.

The Governor further observed that the summit was taking place at a critical period as Nigeria gradually enters another electioneering season. He urged political actors and stakeholders to work together in curbing political violence and ensuring that democratic engagement remains peaceful, stressing that no citizen should suffer harm because of political affiliation or personal convictions.

Governor Otti also expressed profound appreciation to the organisers for selecting Abia State as the host of the regional summit.

“The message of this summit is that we are entirely committed to the peace and security of the region.

“The theme of this summit is brilliant for the reason that it speaks to the next frontier of efforts at consolidating the gains made recently with respect to intelligence sharing, resource mobilisation, and a common commitment to the prosperity of the region.

“We have established that more often than not, crime is driven by economic considerations.

“So, what we have simply done is to make it too costly for any intelligent mind to consider.

“By incentivising security agents, investing in surveillance technology, and public enlightenment, we have simply made crime and criminality unprofitable in most parts of this region.

“The essence of this summit is, however, not to praise ourselves for past gains, but to map the future and stay ahead of the criminals,“ Governor Otti stated.

The Special Guest of Honour, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, was represented by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua.

Speaking on behalf of the Senate President, Senator Yar’Adua reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to providing the legislative framework required to modernise Nigeria’s security architecture. He observed that the summit’s theme serves as a reminder that sustainable security can only be achieved through collaboration rather than isolated efforts.

According to him, “what is at stake today is not merely the security of the South East, but the confidence of our people, the unity of our Republic, and the promise of a safer Nigeria for every citizen.

“Security succeeds where partnership flourishes. This gathering is not only about protecting a region, it is about strengthening the very fabric of our union.

“The Southeast has always occupied a central place in our national story, and some of its greatest sons have been among the strongest advocates of national unity,“ Senator Akpabio stated.

In separate goodwill messages, the Governors of Imo, Anambra, Enugu, and Ebonyi States applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for what they described as the remarkable progress made in strengthening security across Nigeria and for his continued commitment to consolidating the gains already achieved.

The Governors were represented by their respective delegates:

– Imo State: Deputy Governor, Lady Chinyere Ekomaru.

– Anambra State: Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim.

– Enugu State: Deputy Governor, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai.

– Ebonyi State: Speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Moses Odunwa.

They equally commended Governor Alex Otti for hosting the landmark summit and expressed appreciation to the service chiefs, the Federal Ministry of Defence, and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-East) for successfully organising the event. They also reaffirmed their commitment to collective efforts aimed at strengthening security across the South-East.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, called for deeper regional collaboration, enhanced intelligence sharing, and constitutional reforms to effectively address the security challenges confronting the South-East. He maintained that lasting peace can only be achieved through a balanced combination of kinetic and non-kinetic security approaches.

Hon. Kalu also praised Governor Alex Otti for the remarkable improvements in security across Abia State, declaring that under Governor Otti’s leadership, Abia has become safe, secure and peaceful.

Also speaking, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s determination to restore lasting peace in the South-East through a comprehensive security strategy that integrates military operations with economic development, infrastructure expansion, media literacy, and community engagement.

The Minister equally applauded Governor Alex Otti’s focused leadership and the remarkable progress recorded in strengthening security across Abia State.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd.), described the summit as the beginning of a new chapter in advancing peace, security and sustainable development in the South-East. He stressed that the summit’s theme highlights the urgent need for collective action among governments, security agencies, communities and stakeholders.

While acknowledging that the South-East remains one of Nigeria’s foremost centres of commerce, innovation and entrepreneurship, the Defence Minister warned that persistent challenges such as kidnapping and violent criminality must never be allowed to define or overwhelm the region.

He commended Governor Alex Otti and the people of Abia State for hosting the summit and also appreciated the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-East) for its partnership in making the event a success.

Delivering the keynote address, former Chief of Army Staff, General Azubuike Ihejirika (Rtd.), underscored the urgent need for sustained security across the South-East. He stressed that genuine collaboration can only produce meaningful results when perpetrators of criminal activities are brought to justice without criminalising entire communities where such crimes occur.

According to him, treating innocent communities as culprits discourages residents from volunteering intelligence that could assist security agencies in combating criminality.

The summit also attracted the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, senior military officers, security experts, government officials, traditional rulers, religious leaders, development partners, and other distinguished stakeholders who deliberated extensively on practical pathways toward strengthening peace, security, and regional stability across the South-East.