By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (retd.), will chair the 24th Annual Symposium marking the 43rd memorial anniversary of late nationalist, Aminu Kano, with focus on regional security and economic cooperation in West Africa.

The symposium, scheduled for Friday, April 17, 2026, will hold at the Sa’adu Zungur Auditorium, Mambayya House, Kano. It is expected to bring together policymakers, academics and security experts to examine the role of the Economic Community of West African States in sustaining peace and stability across the subregion.

With the theme, “ECOWAS and Regional Peace in West Africa: The Security and Economic Implications for Nigeria,” the event comes amid growing concerns over insecurity, political transitions and economic challenges facing countries in the region.

Buratai, a former Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, is expected to draw on his military and diplomatic experience to guide discussions on collective security, cross-border threats and regional cooperation.

Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano, Prof. Haruna Musa, will host the event, while Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, will serve as Chief Host. Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, is expected as Special Guest of Honour.

The keynote address will be delivered by former Commissioner for Internal Services at the ECOWAS Commission, Nazifi Abdullahi Darma, who is expected to provide insights into the organisation’s operations and policy direction.

Other discussants include former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammed Babandede, and Prof. Samaila Suleiman of the Department of History, Bayero University, Kano.

Organised by Mambayya House, Aminu Kano Centre for Democratic Studies, the annual symposium provides a platform for intellectual engagement aimed at preserving the legacy of Aminu Kano while addressing contemporary governance and security challenges.

Observers say Buratai’s role as chairman underscores Nigeria’s strategic importance in regional security, with expectations that the forum will generate practical recommendations on tackling insurgency, unconstitutional changes of government and transnational crime, as well as strengthening economic integration among ECOWAS member states.

The event is scheduled to commence at 9:00 a.m., with participants drawn from government, academia and civil society.