A former Minister of Interior and retired Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd), has lamented over escalating insecurity in Northern Nigeria, warning that bandits and insurgents now control several communities, collecting taxes and enforcing their own laws.
Speaking on Monday at the First Media and Security Summit in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, Dambazau said insecurity in the region has persisted for more than two decades, claiming thousands of lives and displacing millions, with little decisive action from government authorities.
The summit, themed “Existential Threats and National Security,” attracted top northern leaders, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the governors of Nasarawa and Kebbi States.
“The North has suffered from herder-farmer clashes, terrorism, and banditry. People have been killed in mosques in Katsina, Borno, Zamfara, and Kano.
“We have reached a point where bandits and insurgents control some communities, taxing residents and making their own laws,” Dambazau lamented.
He added, “Thousands have been killed, millions displaced, widows and orphans have increased, farmers have lost their farmlands, and herders’ cattle have been rustled, all without meaningful response from state actors.”
The retired general urged northern governors to reduce over-reliance on federal allocations by establishing Ministries of Mineral Resources in their states and collaborating with relevant federal agencies to harness natural resources, create jobs, and alleviate poverty, which he identified as a root cause of insecurity.
He also called for restoring the authority of traditional institutions, investing massively in agriculture, providing education for out-of-school children, and implementing policies that promote social inclusion.
“Over 70 percent of those suffering from poverty caused by insecurity are from the North. Religious extremism is another major threat, emboldening groups like Boko Haram, the ‘Lakurawa’ terrorists, and armed bandits to unleash violence on our people,” Dambazau warned.