Former Minister of Interior and retired Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd), has expressed concern over the growing insecurity in Northern Nigeria, warning that bandits and insurgents now control several communities where they collect taxes and impose their own laws.
Speaking on Monday at the First Media and Security Summit in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, Dambazau said insecurity in the North has lasted for over 20 years, leading to thousands of deaths and millions of people displaced without any decisive action from the authorities.
The summit, themed “Existential Threats and National Security,” was attended by prominent northern leaders, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the governors of Nasarawa and Kebbi States.
“The North has suffered from herder-farmer clashes, terrorism, and banditry. People have been killed in mosques across Katsina, Borno, Zamfara, and Kano. We have reached a point where bandits and insurgents have taken over communities, taxing residents and enforcing their own rules,” Dambazau said.
He noted that insecurity has created widows and orphans, destroyed livelihoods, and forced farmers and herders to abandon their means of survival.
Dambazau urged northern governors to reduce dependence on federal allocations by establishing Ministries of Mineral Resources to explore natural wealth, create jobs, and fight poverty which he identified as a major cause of insecurity.
He also called for empowering traditional rulers, investing in agriculture, educating out-of-school children, and promoting social inclusion.
“Over 70 percent of those living in poverty due to insecurity are from the North. Religious extremism is another serious threat that has emboldened Boko Haram, the ‘Lakurawa,’ and armed bandits to continue their violence,” he warned.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, said security should not be left to government alone, stressing the importance of unity and dialogue among Nigerians.
“Security is everyone’s responsibility. Nigeria was not like this before. We can restore peace by working together and understanding one another,” the Sultan said.
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State also described insecurity in the North West as alarming and called for efforts to understand its root causes, including the effects of climate change.
Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, commended the summit as a timely platform to address the North’s security and development challenges.
“This meeting gives us a chance to discuss our region’s problems and find lasting solutions,” he said.
