Former Minister of Interior, Lt Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd), has sounded a fresh alarm over the escalating insecurity in Northern Nigeria, saying the situation has deteriorated to the point where bandits and insurgents now control some communities, impose taxes and even make laws.
Dambazau, a former Chief of Army Staff, spoke at the First Media and Security Summit in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State. The summit, themed “Existential Threats and National Security,” highlighted how deeply insecurity has burrowed into northern states over the past two decades.
“People were killed in Katsina, Borno, Zamfara and Kano mosques. The North has suffered from herders/farmers clash, terrorism and banditry,” he said.
“We have gotten to a situation where bandits and insurgents have taken some of our communities, taxing and making laws for them.
“Thousands have been killed and millions displaced. The number of widows and orphans has increased, and farmers have lost farms and herders’ cattle rustled without action from state actors.”
Dambazau urged northern governors to establish Ministries of Mineral Resources in their states so they can work with federal agencies to harness natural resources, expand revenue, reduce poverty, and fight the insecurity that thrives on deprivation. He also called for the revival of agriculture, restoring respect for traditional institutions, addressing the massive number of out-of-school children, and promoting social inclusion.
“Over 70 per cent of those suffering from poverty occasioned by insecurity are from the North. Religious extremism is a major threat to security in northern Nigeria and has led groups like Boko Haram, Lakurawa terrorists and bandits to unleash violence on the people,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, reminded leaders that security requires collective responsibility.
“We need to come together to talk with each other on how to solve this problem,” he said. “We were not like this before, Nigeria was not what it is today. We can solve the problem by coming together and having understanding, and going ahead to implement the decision we reached to have peace.”
Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule echoed the need for unity, stressing that insecurity in the North West remains deeply troubling and must be confronted at the root, whether driven by climate change, poverty, or governance failures.
Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris added that the summit provides a crucial avenue for northern leaders to openly discuss their shared challenges and chart a path toward lasting solutions.
