Poverty, neglect fueling banditry in North – Gov Uba Sani

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, says poverty, joblessness, poor schools and health facilities in rural areas are the real drivers of insecurity in northern Nigeria.

He warned that leaders must take responsibility instead of deceiving citizens with empty promises.

Governor Sani made this point 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.

The event was hosted by Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), with the governor representing President Bola Tinubu as Special Guest of Honour.

He cautioned the opposition against politicising insecurity by suggesting that bandits could simply be carpet-bombed out of existence.

“Insecurity cannot be solved by guns alone,” he said. “Anyone making such claims is only playing politics.”

Governor Sani argued that Nigeria’s security forces are overstretched.

“In 1970, after the civil war, we had about 300,000 soldiers. Today, we have fewer than 250,000, yet our population has grown by over 100 million. How then can firearms alone solve this problem?”

He also highlighted the absence of security presence in large parts of the Northwest.

“If you travel through Zamfara, Birnin Gwari or the forests of Katsina, you can go 50 kilometres without seeing a single policeman, let alone a soldier,” he said.

The governor pointed to Kaduna’s peace model, which involves community dialogue, traditional rulers, and religious leaders, as a more effective approach.

He cited Birnin Gwari where the Emir led peace efforts, saying the process took six months to understand the root causes of violence.

“We must stop deceiving our people by blaming only the President or the National Security Adviser,” he stressed.

“We were elected by the people, and it is our duty to protect them. God will hold us accountable for failing in this responsibility.”