SECURITY DIALOGUE: Sadiq Mamman Lagos Bags Arewa Media Practitioners Award At The Northern Security Forum in Kano

 

The Arewa Media Practitioners (AMP) held a Northern Security Dialogue and Award Presentation in Kano on Wednesday, 13th May 2026, at the Murtala Mohammed Library. The event focused on the theme: _“Insecurity, Banditry and Terrorism in Northern Nigeria: Causes, Genesis and Solutions.”_

Delivering the keynote lecture on behalf of the Conservator-General of the National Park Service, Dr. Ibrahim Musa Goni, was CP Jimo Oladosu. He thanked the AMP leadership for consistently using their platforms to champion development in Northern Nigeria.

On the Security Crisis in National Parks 

Speaking as a manager of some of Northern Nigeria’s strategic landscapes, Oladosu said parks have become hideouts, transit routes, and operational bases for bandits, kidnappers, and terrorist elements.

 He cited the sprawling Savannah of Kainji Lake National Park, the mountainous terrain of Gashaka Gumti, and the delicate ecosystems of the Chad Basin as examples.

He identified the causes of insecurity as historical grievances such as poorly managed herder-farmer conflicts, proliferation of small arms, breakdown of traditional intelligence networks, climate-induced resource competition, and economic exclusion of rural youth.

On the genesis of the violence, he said: “It did not explode overnight. It festered from decades of neglect of hinterland communities, erosion of the _jango_ [traditional grazing route] system, and the collapse of local dispute resolution mechanisms after the 2001-2010 period.” He added that unregulated mining zones, porous borders, and spillover from the Lake Chad basin insurgency had accelerated the crisis.

Role of the Media 

Addressing journalists, Oladosu said: “You are not mere reporters of insecurity, you are influencers of response.” He urged media practitioners to avoid glorifying bandits or publishing victim-blaming headlines, to investigate environmental drivers of attacks, and to hold all stakeholders accountable, including the military, park service, ministries, and traditional rulers.

“National security is not a monopoly of uniformed forces. It requires a national ecosystem — journalists, traditional rulers, civil society, parks, farmers, herders, and the private sector,” he said.

Calls for Regular Engagement

Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Garba Shehu, who was decorated as Grand Patron of AMP, called for the dialogue to be held quarterly rather than every few years. “The AMP are here to exceptionally recognize the outstanding contribution of our leaders who perform extraordinarily in their duties,” he said.

He commended the Kano Emirate and the Emir, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, for his fatherly role in Kano State.

AMP President’s Address 

National President of AMP, Comrade Musa Mohammed (Moonlight), said the security situation in the North demands frank discussion. “No matter what the government has done, and despite the efforts of our security agencies — who are doing their best — I must state with every sense of responsibility: their best is not enough,” he said.

He described the situation as “horrific, tragic, and devastating,” adding that people live in constant fear because government and institutions are failing in their responsibility to protect lives and property. 

Awardees and Royal Remarks. 

Representing the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Abbas Maje Dalhatu, Bauran Kano and Hakimin Karaga, urged journalists to fact-check security reports before publishing, especially on social media. He also stressed the need to involve traditional institutions such as village heads in finding solutions, saying they know their communities best.

Awardees included Governors Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano, Umar Namadi of Jigawa, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, and Uba Sani of Kaduna; the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II; Dr. Ibrahim Musa Goni; Prof. Hadiza Usman Abdullahi; and commissioners from Kaduna, Yobe, and Sokoto states, among others. 

Hon. Sadiq Mamman Lagos, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Kaduna State, was represented by his Chief of Staff, Hon. Sani Abdul (Sardauna Shaba).