Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has warned that bandits and terrorist groups are increasingly targeting young people, particularly those lacking access to education, economic opportunities, family support, and social stability in northern Nigeria.
According to Ribadu, extremist groups exploit these vulnerabilities by offering a sense of identity, belonging, purpose, and ideology to vulnerable youths.
Speaking on Monday at an EU/BUK Workshop in Kano through the Director of State Liaison in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Lamy Chinode, Ribadu stressed the urgent need to address the root causes of insecurity in the region to reduce criminal recruitment and violence.
He noted that while insecurity is a global challenge, governments must adopt strategic, coordinated, and collective responses to tackle evolving security threats.
Ribadu stated that Nigeria has continued to combat insecurity through both military and non-military measures, but warned that military operations alone cannot deliver lasting peace if the underlying drivers of violence remain unresolved.
He emphasized that children who are out of school are more susceptible to manipulation and recruitment by criminal and extremist groups, adding that access to education remains one of the strongest safeguards against radicalization.
The NSA explained that security assessments have shown that despite significant military efforts, many of the social and economic conditions that encourage recruitment into violent groups still persist.
He therefore advocated a broader approach to security that prioritizes prevention, inclusion, dialogue, resilience, economic opportunities, trust-building, and social cohesion alongside kinetic operations.
Ribadu also praised Nigeria’s security agencies for their sacrifices in protecting lives and property, while urging stakeholders to strengthen community-based solutions to insecurity.
According to him, traditional institutions, religious leaders, communal support systems, and strong social bonds have historically served as stabilizing forces in northern communities and should be leveraged in tackling modern security challenges.
He further warned that local disputes are increasingly being amplified by ethnic, religious, political, and social narratives, deepening divisions and fueling instability across communities.
The NSA concluded that sustainable peace can only be achieved through a holistic strategy that addresses both the security threats and the socio-economic factors that enable violent extremism to thrive.