Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, PhD, CFR has called on Nigeria’s defence industry to stop depending on imported weapons and instead build strong local capacity for arms production. He also urged the financial sector to close loopholes that allow criminal and terrorist funds to flow through the system.
Kalu spoke on Saturday in Abuja at the “Nigeria People’s Strategic Conference and Defence Exhibition 2026.” The event’s theme was “Building a Modern Security Ecosystem: Integrating Private Sector Capacity into Nigeria’s National Security Architecture.” He argued that a homegrown defence ecosystem would create jobs and reduce the country’s security vulnerabilities.
He directed the financial sector to strengthen due diligence and transaction monitoring to block illicit funding of all kinds. According to him, tightening financial chokepoints is critical to undermining criminal and terrorist operations across the country. 
The Deputy Speaker insisted the conference must produce binding, measurable commitments from every sector present. He said the technology sector should build platforms for intelligence sharing and community early warning systems, while civil society must bridge gaps between communities and government to sustain peace.
For the legislature, Kalu pledged continued legal support through constitutional review, appropriation, and oversight. He stated: “We will continue to review the constitution where it needs reviewing. We will appropriate resources where resources are needed. We will provide oversight to ensure that what is promised is delivered.”
Kalu highlighted the House’s recent 289 to 2 vote in favour of the State Police constitutional amendment. He described the near-unanimous decision as patriotic, not partisan, and said it should be matched by equal unity of purpose across all sectors working on national security.
He rejected claims that Nigeria is failing. “Nigeria is not failing. Nigeria is fighting. There is a difference. A failing country stops trying. Nigeria has never stopped trying,” Kalu said. He added that the resilience and courage of Nigerians must be met with proper structure and policy.
The Deputy Speaker concluded that a safer Nigeria is a project that belongs to everyone: the legislature and executive, uniformed services and civilians, government and the governed. The event brought together stakeholders from the defence industry, financial institutions, civil society, and security agencies.
