“Hunger and Poverty Are Now National Security Threats” — NSA Ribadu

Hunger and poverty have become critical drivers of insecurity in Nigeria, according to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who warned that these socio-economic issues now pose serious threats to national stability. Speaking at the 14th National Security Seminar in Abuja, Ribadu, represented by Major General PP Mala, said President Bola Tinubu’s administration is tackling the crisis head-on through agricultural reforms, social investment programmes, and enhanced security measures.

“Hunger and poverty are not merely social concerns; they are catalysts for insecurity, crime, violence, and social disintegration,” Ribadu said. “These issues form a vicious cycle. Poverty leads to insecurity, and insecurity deepens poverty.”

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, echoed this warning, stating that food insecurity and economic deprivation are increasingly shaping the country’s internal security threats. Represented by Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shetimma, Musa called for urgent national investment in agriculture, credit access, and rural infrastructure to reposition farming as a viable and noble profession.

The Defence Minister, Alhaji Mohammad Badaru Abubakar, also called for human-centred security approaches, noting that military interventions alone cannot address complex, root causes such as unemployment, hunger, and exclusion.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu launched the deployment of 2,000 tractors under the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, signaling what he described as the beginning of Nigeria’s agricultural renaissance. The tractors, part of a strategic partnership with the Republic of Belarus and AfTrade DMCC, will be distributed nationwide to support smallholder farmers and modernise food production.

“We must seize this opportunity to achieve agricultural independence,” Tinubu said. “Let history recall this day as the beginning of Nigeria’s agricultural renaissance.”

The programme, which includes additional machinery, implements, and spare parts, is expected to create over 16,000 jobs and benefit more than 550,000 farming households across the country.