Uba Sani: Only good governance can end insecurity, we must address poverty

Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna state, says good governance is the solution to tackling the problem of insecurity in the country.

Sani spoke on Monday when members of the Kaduna Elders Forum (KEF) paid him a congratulatory visit over his recent affirmation as the duly elected governor of the state by the supreme court.

The governor said poverty, illiteracy and unemployment are responsible for the security challenges that have crippled economic and social activities in the north-west.

Sani said his administration with the support of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has intensified military actions against banditry and kidnapping in the state.

He added that the DHQ has also promised to build two additional operation bases in the state.

“We are also looking at the non-kinetic approach to addressing the security challenges, but the issue of non-kinetic approach is not just about talking with the bandits, negotiating and asking them to submit their weapons, that is only one aspect of it,” Sani said.

“The most important aspect of the non-kinetic approach is good governance. No matter how much we talk and try to bring about peace, if we don’t look at the area of good governance, we will never end the problem of insecurity in northern Nigeria in particular.

“People always talk about how the problem of insurgency was ended in the north-east, but insurgency is not the same with the problem of banditry and kidnapping that we have in the north-west.

“The north-east issue was about people that came from nowhere and talked about the ideology of Boko. What we have in the north-west is an economic problem where people kidnap and ask for money.

“What brought about that? Hopelessness, lack of education, lack of economic prosperity.”

Sani further said part of the problem of the north-west is a lack of education and financial inclusion.

“Over 85 percent of the people in the north-west are either not educated or financially excluded. So, if we don’t address the poverty by supporting our farmers and increasing productivity, we will not address the problem of insecurity.”

He said the state is expecting $28 million in support from Kuwait to address the problem of over 600,000 out-of-school children.

Sani also said he would be signing a bill for the establishment of a security trust fund as part of efforts to address insecurity in the state.