Insecurity: Kalu Pushes Local Arms Production, Stronger Crackdown on Terror Financing

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has called for increased local arms production and tighter financial surveillance to curb insecurity, terrorism financing, and other criminal activities in Nigeria.

Speaking at the Nigeria People’s Strategic Conference and Defence Exhibition 2026 in Abuja on Saturday, Kalu urged the country’s defence industry to build local capacity for arms manufacturing rather than relying heavily on imports.

He said developing a homegrown defence ecosystem would not only strengthen national security but also create jobs and reduce Nigeria’s vulnerability to external supply disruptions.

The Deputy Speaker also charged financial institutions to strengthen due diligence, transaction monitoring, and other measures aimed at blocking illicit financial flows that fund criminal and terrorist networks.

According to him, tackling insecurity requires a coordinated effort involving the defence, technology, financial, civil society, and legislative sectors.

“The defence industry must deepen local capacity so that we do not import what we can produce. The technology sector must provide platforms for intelligence sharing and community early warning, while the financial sector must tighten the channels through which criminal and terrorist financing flows,” he said.

Kalu added that civil society organisations have a critical role in fostering trust between communities and government, while the National Assembly would continue to provide legislative support through constitutional reforms, appropriation, and oversight.

He also referenced the recent passage of the State Police constitutional amendment bill in the House, noting that lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in support of measures aimed at improving security nationwide.

“I am proud to serve in an assembly that voted 289 to 2 in favour of a safer Nigeria. That near-unanimity was not partisan; it was patriotic,” he said.

The Deputy Speaker dismissed claims that Nigeria was a failing state, insisting that the country remains resilient despite its security challenges.

“Nigeria is not failing. Nigeria is fighting. A failing country stops trying, but Nigeria has never stopped trying,” he said, adding that resilience must be matched with effective policies and institutional reforms.

The conference attracted stakeholders from the defence industry, financial institutions, civil society organisations, and security agencies.