Poverty, out-of-school-children driving insecurity in northern Nigeria — NSGF

The chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has identified widespread poverty, youth unemployment and the growing number of out-of-school children as major factors fuelling insecurity across northern Nigeria.

Speaking on Monday at the meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council held in Dutse, Jigawa State, Governor Yahaya said the region’s security challenges are deeply rooted in decades of underdevelopment and social deprivation.

According to him, about 86 million people in Northern Nigeria, representing 65 per cent of the region’s population, are living in multidimensional poverty, while 80 per cent of Nigeria’s estimated 18.3 million out-of-school children are from the North.

The NSGF chairman warned that the situation poses a serious threat to the future of the region, noting that a large population of unemployed and uneducated youths has become vulnerable to recruitment by bandits, insurgents and other criminal groups.

“In a country where 60 per cent of the population is below the age of 35, a hungry, jobless and illiterate youth population is nothing more than a cheap recruitment pool for bandits and Boko Haram,” he said.

Governor Yahaya stressed that addressing insecurity would require more than military action, calling for increased investment in education, agriculture, skills acquisition and youth empowerment programmes.

He said northern leaders must focus on developing human capital and creating economic opportunities for young people if lasting peace and stability are to be achieved.

The governor urged governments at all levels to return children to school, revitalise agricultural production and equip youths with the skills needed to become productive members of society.

He also called on traditional rulers to continue supporting efforts aimed at promoting peace, unity and grassroots development, describing them as critical partners in addressing the region’s challenges.

Governor Yahaya further noted that while security agencies should be equipped to confront criminal elements, long-term peace can only be secured by tackling the root causes of insecurity through sustainable socio-economic development.

The Northern Traditional Rulers Council meeting brought together traditional rulers and government officials from across the region to deliberate on the theme “Peace, Unity and Development of Northern Nigeria”.