National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, Nuhu Ribadu, has decried the high level of poverty in Northern Nigeria, especially the North-West geo-political zone.
According to him, as of 2019, the region had the highest poverty rate in the country, with a national average of 40.1 percent.
Ribadu, while delivering his paper titled: “Navigating the Maze: Addressing Multi-Dimensional Insecurity Challenges in Northern Nigeria”, at the combined convocation lecture of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto yesterday, identified Sokoto as the worst-hit in the region. He said about 87.73 percent of the State’s population live in poverty.
He also disclosed that unemployment rates in the Northern region can exceed twenty percent, a stark contrast to the more industrially diverse and economically vibrant southern regions.
“The illegal arms market in Northern Nigeria has seen a marked increase in demand and supply. Criminals and traffickers have developed sophisticated networks to transport illegal arms across Nigeria, deploying innovative methods to circumvent security checks”.
However, he assured that the Tinubu-led administration, in combating the menace of both insecurities and poverty, has developed a holistic framework that seeks to comprehensively address various aspects of insecurity.
“This agenda includes provisions for bolstering security initiatives, promoting socioeconomic development, and fostering inter-communal dialogue to address grievances and foster reconciliation.
“Through the Renewed Hope agenda, the government aims to tackle the underlying causes of insecurity by addressing issues such as poverty, unemployment, social marginalisation, and ethnic tensions”.
