Northern Insecurity Tied to Economic Hardship, Gov. Sani Warns

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has pointed to poverty, unemployment, and the lack of basic infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and commercial activity in rural areas as key drivers of insecurity, urging leaders to accept responsibility and take action.

Speaking at the public launch of “Where I Stand”, a book by the late Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi translated into Arabic by Sheikh Ibrahim Jalo Jalingo, Governor Sani warned against politicising security issues.

Representing President Bola Tinubu as the Special Guest of Honour, and serving as Chief Host at the event organised by Jamaátu Izalatul Bidáh Wa ‘iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), the governor challenged narratives suggesting that military force alone can resolve the crisis of banditry in the North-West.

He emphasised that, unlike the ideologically-driven Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, insecurity in the North-West is rooted in socioeconomic neglect. “It is not just about guns,” he said. “Anyone insisting that we can bomb our way out of this is only playing politics.”

Governor Sani urged fellow politicians to stop misleading the public with simplistic solutions. “We must fear God and be honest with our people—militarised responses alone cannot work,” he stated.

He highlighted the mismatch between Nigeria’s current security capacity and its growing population, noting that while the country had about 300,000 soldiers in 1970, today’s force numbers fewer than 250,000—despite a population increase of over 100 million in the same period.

He further criticised the absence of security personnel in vast areas of the North-West. “In places like Zamfara, Birnin Gwari, and Katsina forests, one can travel up to 50 kilometers without encountering a single policeman, let alone a soldier,” he lamented.

The governor also spoke about the Kaduna Peace Model—a non-kinetic strategy for addressing insecurity—saying it was shaped by community input, including religious and traditional leaders. He cited Birnin Gwari as an example, where the local Emir led a successful peace initiative following six months of groundwork to understand the root causes of violence.

He rejected the notion of placing sole responsibility for local security on federal authorities. “It is not the job of President Tinubu or NSA Ribadu to go into Giwa, Birnin Gwari, or Dansadau forest,” he said. “As elected leaders, it is our responsibility to do all we can to protect our people.”

Governor Sani concluded by underscoring his moral commitment to non-violent solutions: “I chose the non-kinetic path because, ultimately, I believe God will hold me accountable.”