Insecurity, Poverty Undermining Decent Work In Nigeria — Rights Activist

The executive director of the Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), Idris Miliki Abdul, has identified insecurity and poverty as major obstacles to decent work and sustainable development in Nigeria, warning that both challenges continue to erode citizens’ rights and livelihoods.

Speaking at the pre-2026 International May Day ceremony organized by the Kogi State Council of Organized Labour, Abdul said that while Nigeria guarantees civil and political rights on paper, millions of citizens are unable to enjoy these rights in practice due to widespread poverty and inequality.

According to him, “you can have the right to vote and still be excluded by poverty; you can have freedom of expression and still be silenced by illiteracy; and you can have the right to life and still be denied healthcare because you cannot afford it.”

He argued that the gap between enforceable civil rights and largely non-justiciable socio-economic rights has created what he described as a “two-tier constitutional reality,” fueling inequality, exclusion, and instability across the country.

Abdul linked the rising wave of violent extremism to governance failures, corruption, unemployment, and weak institutions, noting that these conditions make vulnerable populations susceptible to radicalization. He also criticized Nigeria’s response to insecurity as fragmented, stressing the need for better coordination among federal, state, and local authorities.

On recent developments in Kogi State, Abdul commended the government’s decision to temporarily close schools and markets in affected areas as a proactive security measure.

However, he condemned the reported abduction of children and staff at the Zango-Daji Orphanage, describing it as unacceptable.

To strengthen grassroots security, he called on the state government to recruit and train at least 20 vigilantes per ward to complement federal security agencies, emphasizing the importance of community-based approaches and local intelligence in combating insecurity.

On poverty, Abdul described the situation in Nigeria as “deep, widespread, and multifaceted,” attributing it largely to poor governance, corruption, and unequal distribution of resources.

He stressed that poverty is not just an economic issue but a reflection of structural inequalities and power imbalances.

He urged policymakers to move beyond rhetoric and adopt practical, people-centered strategies that prioritize access to basic services such as water, education, healthcare, rural infrastructure, and markets.

Abdu also highlighted the critical role of the media in amplifying the voices of the poor and promoting accountability, calling for greater public awareness and citizen engagement in policy processes.

Among his key recommendations were fiscal decentralization, local empowerment, improved coordination of anti-poverty strategies, and stronger collaboration between government, civil society, and organised labour.

He concluded that Nigeria must pursue both security and welfare simultaneously, noting that “security without welfare is brittle, and welfare without security is fragile.”

Abdul urged all stakeholders to ensure that constitutional rights translate into real-life benefits for citizens, stressing that this is essential for national stability and meaningful citizenship.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Kogi Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), Comrade Gabriel Amari, commended workers for their resilience in the face of excruciating hardship, occasioned by the various reforms of the Federal Government.

He thanked the Kogi State governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo for his commitment to the welfare of workers in the state.