Nigeria’s rising insecurity tied to hunger, poverty, and food insecurity, say top defence and national security officials.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has warned that poverty and hunger are no longer mere social issues but have become serious national security threats confronting Nigeria.
Speaking through the Chief of Defence Training, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shetimma, at the 14th National Security Seminar held in Abuja on Monday, Musa said the changing face of insecurity in Nigeria demands urgent, people-focused solutions.
“Insecurity today is not only defined by weapons, but also by economic deprivation, food insecurity, and social dislocation,” he declared.
The seminar was hosted by the Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AANDEC) in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
Benue Example Shows Food Crisis Is Now a Security Issue
General Musa specifically cited Benue State, once Nigeria’s food basket, as an example of how banditry, herder-farmer conflicts, and displacement have crippled agricultural productivity, worsening hunger and economic fragility.
He noted that illegal farmland occupation and rural insecurity have disrupted farming communities, contributing to food inflation, forced migration, and destabilized regional economies.
Ribadu: Tinubu Govt Tackling Insecurity Through Social Investments
National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, represented by Major General Peter Mala, highlighted ongoing federal efforts to break the cycle of poverty and insecurity, including agriculture reforms, expanded social programmes, and strategic security operations.
“Hunger and deprivation are not just humanitarian concerns; they are drivers of crime, violence, and instability,” Ribadu warned.
He called for collaborative, multidimensional approaches to security, emphasizing that the link between poverty and violence must be severed to achieve lasting peace.
Minister of Defence Urges People-Centric Security Strategy
In his remarks, Defence Minister Muhammad Badaru emphasized the need for a people-driven approach to addressing Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
He urged stakeholders to tackle root causes like unemployment, poverty, and social exclusion, insisting that Nigeria’s security crisis requires broad collaboration across borders and sectors.