Illiteracy, Poverty Worsening Northern Insecurity – Dahiru Bauchi

The founder and chief executive officer of the Islamic Basic Orientation Forum, Dr Sheikh Bashir Dahiru Bauchi, has linked the growing insecurity in Nigeria, particularly in the North, to high illiteracy rate, youth idleness and inadequate educational opportunities.

He said poverty and lack of opportunities were dangerous, but when combined with illiteracy and a lack of practical skills, they could have devastating consequences for society.

Dahiru stated this yesterday while presenting a paper titled, “The Qur’an, Modern Education, and Our Shared Responsibility for the Sustainable Future of Tsangaya and Almajiri Education,” during the commissioning of the Sheikh Tahir Tsangaya Model School in Kangere, Bauchi State.

He said the future of Northern Nigeria could not be secured without addressing the growing number of out-of-school children who roam the streets without access to structured education and proper mentorship.

According to him, leaving children without education, guidance and opportunities exposes them to exploitation by criminal gangs and violent extremist groups.

“An uneducated, idle child is deprived of dignity, hope and purpose,” he said, warning that the neglect of young people could further worsen the region’s security challenges.

He stressed that when thousands of young people were left without adequate education and productive engagement, they became vulnerable to recruitment by groups seeking to exploit their circumstances.

The Islamic scholar said Islam places a sacred responsibility on parents and guardians to nurture and educate their children from an early age.