Northwest Nigeria Has Highest Poverty rate — Ribadu

Mallam Nuhu Ribadu

MALLAM Nuhu Ribadu, the President's National Security Advisor, has expressed dismay at the extreme poverty in Northern Nigeria, particularly in the Northwest. With a national average of 40.1 percent, he said that as of 2019, the region has the highest poverty percentage in the nation.

Identifying Sokoto as the most affected city in the region, Nuhu Ribadu presented his presentation “Navigating the Maze: Addressing Multi- Dimensional Insecurity Challenges in Northern Nigeria" at the simultaneous convocation speech of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto on Thursday. He stated that the poverty rate in the state is approximately 87.73 percent. He also revealed that, in sharp contrast to the more industrially varied and economically thriving southern regions, jobless rates in the northern region sometimes reach twenty percent.

“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.”

He did, however, reassure that the Tinubu-led administration has created a comprehensive framework that aims to fully address various facets of insecurity in order to battle the threat of poverty and insecurities.

“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 marginalization, and ethnic tensions.”

He went on to say that the administration wants to establish an atmosphere that is favorable to peace and stability in Northern Nigeria by putting certain interventions and reforms into place. In order to include people who are closest to the problems in developing answers, Ribadu continued, President Tinubu took careful consideration when appointing Northerners to high security positions.

“This role is not a tea party; it is a demanding job that requires dexterity, hard work, and consensus building across security and political structures.

“The figures we encountered in terms of both attacks and casualties in May 2023 were heart-wrenching. As recently as 2022, Nigeria witnessed four major terrorist attacks: the attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train, an attack on the Guards Battalion in Abuja, the Kuje Prison attack, and another at a church in Owo, Ondo State.”

He further stated that since the coming of this administration, the country has not had any organized terrorist attacks. Most of the roads hitherto unsafe for commuters are today secure for travelers at any time of the day

“On the kinetic front, the Nigerian military is conducting numerous operations targeting insurgent groups like Boko Haram and bandits operating in Northern Nigeria,” he added.