By Umar Faruk
Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, Nigeria
November 10, 2025(Series News Online)
Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Abdulrahman B. Dambazau, has emphasized the need for collective action to address the existential threats facing Northern Nigeria.
He stated this in his paper presented at the Arewa Broadcast Media Practitioners Forum Security Summit in Birnin Kebbi, as well as during an interview with newsmen on Monday.
The summit, themed "The North, Existential Threats, and National Security," was declared opened by Governor Nasir Idris Kauran Gwandu at the Presidential Lodge in Birnin Kebbi.
Dambazau identified poverty, poor healthcare, religious extremism, and the erosion of family and moral values as some of the root causes of insecurity in the region.
"The North is a vital pillar of our national identity — rich in culture, vast in resources, and blessed with diversity," Dambazau said. "Yet, despite all this, we are facing serious existential threats. Threats that, if not urgently addressed, could destabilize not just the North, but the entire country."
He highlighted the impact of climate change, human trafficking, and modern slavery on the region, and called for decisive action to address these challenges.
"Poverty is chief among them," he said. "Out of 90 million Nigerians living in extreme poverty, 63% are from the North. Over 70% of those in multidimensional poverty are Northerners."
Dambazau emphasized the need for transparent leadership, effective management of public funds, investment in human capital, and job creation for the youth.
"We must move from lamentation to evidence-based action," he said. "We need to ensure that our leaders are transparent and accountable, and that they prioritize the welfare of the people."
He urged stakeholders to take practical steps to address the region's security challenges, saying, "We must not disperse and forget. Let this not be just another talk shop. Action must follow."
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Security Summit