Prominent Nigerian leaders have stressed the need to restore family values to address the country’s deepening insecurity and moral decline.
At the opening of “Exercise Haske Biyu” 2025 at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, Kaduna State, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, emphasised that the breakdown of the family unit was directly fuelling social vices, radicalisation and violent crimes across the country.
In her keynote address at the event yesterday in Kaduna, Mrs Tinubu, who was represented by the wife of the vice president, Hajiya Nana Shettima, warned that many Nigerian families were losing their traditional role in child upbringing, leaving children vulnerable to harmful influences such as cultism, drug abuse, prostitution and extremist ideologies.
“This parental absence creates a void, which often gets filled by bad company and destructive behaviour. The outcome is catastrophic for families and dangerous for national security,” she cautioned.
She described the family as the bedrock of every nation, stating that it is within the family that Nigerians first learn the values of love, respect, sacrifice and patriotism.
On his part, the Sultan of Sokoto described the family as the “smallest yet most important building block of society.”
He said, “Weak families produce weak communities, while strong families sustain peaceful and resilient nations.”
The Sultan expressed concern over the erosion of family discipline due to the influence of corruption, illicit wealth, and unregulated technology.
He warned that social media and online content are increasingly exposing children to harmful influences, undermining traditional moral values.
Also speaking, Kukah, whose paper titled “Relationship Between Family Dynamics and National Security” was delivered by the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in 19 northern states and the FCT, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, said Nigeria’s youth radicalisation and restiveness often stem from broken homes and poor parenting.
“Many parents, due to several factors, are unable to raise their children to be responsible citizens,” he said, linking societal dysfunctions to early failures in child upbringing.
Citing Proverbs 22:6, Hayab stressed that values such as emotional intelligence, discipline, and conflict resolution are first learnt at home. He said families that model positive behaviours produce citizens who contribute to peace and national cohesion.
He also urged the government to invest in family support programmes, counselling services, and community-based initiatives to strengthen the family unit and prevent radicalisation.
Earlier, the commandant of AFCSC, Air Vice Marshal Hassan Idris Alhaji, described “Exercise Haske Biyu” as a bold, multi-agency initiative to enhance responses to internal security and low-intensity conflicts. He said the three-week exercise brings together senior military officers, security agencies, ministries, NGOs, media, and strategic partners to develop practical, collaborative solutions to national security challenges.
He said the family-focused theme was deliberately chosen to highlight the role of the home in the country’s broader security architecture.
The event runs from September 15 to October 3. It will feature strategic lectures, operational planning drills, practical field exercises, and a unique “Day in the Life of a Soldier” experience for civilian participants.
The speakers unanimously agreed that Nigeria’s journey to peace and national security begins with the family, urging all stakeholders to prioritise the home as the first defence against insecurity.
