The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Urges Local Arms Production to Fight Insecurity, he called for a coordinated national response to Nigeria’s insecurity, advocating for stronger institutions, local capacity development, and strategic cross-sector collaboration.
Speaking on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at the Nigeria People’s Strategic Conference and Defence Exhibition in Abuja, Kalu addressed an audience gathered under the theme, “Building a Modern Security Ecosystem: Integrating Private Sector Capacity into Nigeria’s National Security Architecture.”
During his address, the Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu Urges Local Arms Production to Fight Insecurity and made a strong case for self-reliance in national defense, challenging the domestic defense industry to scale up local arms production to mitigate strategic vulnerabilities.
“Building a homegrown defence ecosystem will not only strengthen our national security but also create jobs, stimulate innovation, and reduce strategic vulnerabilities,” Kalu stated, emphasizing the need to reduce reliance on foreign imports.
He further noted that national security requires a multi-sectoral approach, calling directly on financial institutions to actively dismantle the networks that facilitate criminal financing. Additionally, Kalu highlighted the role of civil society as a critical bridge between local communities and the government to foster sustainable peace.
Reflecting on recent legislative action, Kalu reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to delivering robust legal frameworks, constitutional reforms, and effective oversight to back the nation’s security apparatus.
He pointed to a major legislative milestone from earlier in the week as evidence of unified political will.
- Bipartisan Consensus: Two days prior to the conference, the House voted 289 to 2 in favor of new security measures.
- Patriotic Alignment: Kalu described the near-unanimous vote not as a partisan victory, but as a patriotic one, urging conference stakeholders to match that legislative unity of purpose.
Rejecting defeatist narratives about the country’s trajectory, Kalu concluded with a strong message of resilience.
“Nigeria is not failing. Nigeria is fighting,” Kalu said. “Our resilience as a people must be matched with sound policies, strong institutions, and a security architecture capable of protecting lives and preserving the dignity of every citizen.”
