Africa
Sahel Region: Poverty, Unemployment Reasons For Insecurity -Abdulsalami Abubakar
An Ex-Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtrd), says poverty, unemployment and weak governance were some of the contributory factors heightening insecurity in the Sahel region.
Abdulsalami stated this at the first News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)annual lecture on Thursday in Abuja.
He added that climate change, environmental degradation among other factors had provided fertile ground for insecurity to thrive in the region.
EDITOR’S PICK:
- Alleged N27bn Fraud: Court Grants Ex-Taraba Gov, Ishaku N150M Bail
- ‘PDP Is dead, APC Has Finished Nigeria’ –Kwankwaso
- Protests Rock PDP Secretariat as INEC Halts Voters’ Register Release in Rivers
“At the heart of the insecurity in this region, among other factors, are the undercurrents of poverty and unemployment, for the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
“Also weak governance, and institutional failures, as well as climate change and environmental degradation.
“These factors have certainly created a fertile ground for insecurity to thrive, with devastating impacts on our dear nation.
“We must not, however, lose faith in our capacity to ride above the storms of insecurity, since this challenge is the business of each and every Nigerian, and indeed, all Africans,” he said.
According to him, the impact of the situation is devastating to Nigeria and the Sahel region especially in its development.
“Nigeria’s security challenges cannot be divorced from the regional heritage in the sahel, a vast landmass which encompasses the troubled countries of Burkina, Chad, Mali, and Cameroon.
“In the year 2020, a whopping 4,660 people were killed in this region, while another 2,600 civilians lost their lives in banditry attacks in 2021,” he said.
He expressed concern that insecurity was still lingering and required concerted efforts to address the situation.
FURTHER READING:
- You Lack Authority to Disband G-14 – Benue PDP Elders Challenge Suswam
- Boat Mishap Claims 150 Persons In Niger, Others Missing
- Has Protest Lost Its Potency In Nigeria?
“We must work together to fight insecurity because we owe children, the future generation, the duty to create a secured nation,” he said.
He commended NAN for organising the lecture, saying it would elicit a productive and thought-provoking response to address the situation.
According to him, the event is apt following the increased efforts of the government and other stakeholders in addressing the situation.
Click here to watch our video of the week
Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:
Kindly contact us at [email protected]. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.
Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.
Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611
