Weak Prosecution, Education Failures Driving Northern Insecurity – Group

The Rebuild Arewa Initiative for Development (RAID) has blamed the worsening insecurity across Northern Nigeria on weak prosecution of criminal elements and poor implementation of education policies, warning that the situation poses a grave threat to both the region and the country’s overall stability.

The group made the assertion in Abuja while briefing journalists on activities lined up to commemorate the 2026 Sardauna Memorial Day.

Speaking during the briefing, RAID’s Director of Communications and Publicity, Comrade Bitako Abubakar Umar, said insecurity in the North has been exacerbated by a culture of impunity, poor governance and the failure to effectively enforce key social policies, particularly in the education sector.

According to Umar, criminal activities such as banditry, terrorism, farmer-herder conflicts and kidnappings have continued to thrive largely because reports of past commissions of inquiry are rarely followed by prosecutions.

He lamented that the absence of accountability has emboldened criminal networks, stressing that without decisive prosecution of offenders, efforts to restore peace in the region would remain ineffective.

Umar also criticised the payment of ransom to kidnappers, describing it as a practice that reinforces inequality and incentivises criminality, while further undermining the rule of law.

On education, he blamed the poor implementation of the Universal Basic Education policy for the growing number of out-of-school children in the region, noting that many of them are easily recruited by extremist and criminal groups.

“The education sector has been neglected for too long, and the consequences are now evident in the scale of insecurity we are witnessing,” he said

Beyond security concerns, Umar said political interference, historical injustices and selective remembrance of national leaders have continued to fuel discontent in the North, underscoring the need for inclusive dialogue and recognition of shared sacrifices in nation-building.

He also disclosed that RAID plans to convene a major Northern convention in April as a non-partisan platform for stakeholders to collectively address the region’s socio-economic, political and security challenges ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, the proposed convention would bring together political, traditional and religious leaders, as well as youth and women groups, civil society organisations, professionals and business leaders to articulate a common position on restoring peace, tackling poverty and unemployment, reviving education and strengthening governance across the North.

Earlier, RAID’s secretary, Kabiru Duhu, called on Northern Nigeria to emulate the leadership philosophy of Sir Ahmadu Bello, describing his legacies as critical to addressing insecurity, poverty and weak institutions.

Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto and Premier of Northern Nigeria from 1954 until his assassination in 1966, was widely regarded as a visionary statesman who prioritised education, unity, institutional development and moral leadership.

Duhu recalled that the Sardauna’s administration established landmark institutions, including Ahmadu Bello University, alongside teachers’ colleges, scholarship schemes and agricultural initiatives that drove economic growth and social cohesion in the region.

He noted that the Sardauna’s inclusive governance style, personal integrity and long-term planning remain relevant in addressing the North’s current challenges.

Other speakers at the briefing stressed that restoring ethical leadership, rebuilding strong institutions, investing in education and youth empowerment, and promoting unity over division are essential to achieving peace and development in Northern Nigeria.

They concluded that the region’s path to stability and prosperity lies in consciously adapting the principles and values exemplified by Sir Ahmadu Bello.