Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has identified illiteracy and poverty as major factors contributing to the persistent insecurity challenges confronting Nigeria.
The governor stated this on Thursday while delivering a lecture titled “Insecurity and Education in Nigeria and the Quest for Development” at the Quarterly Lecture Series of Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, formerly known as the University of Abuja.
Alia noted that Nigeria has experienced several security challenges over the years, including the Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, and farmer-herder conflicts, which have led to loss of lives and destruction of property.
He listed illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, inequality, weak institutions, ethno-religious tensions, poor governance, and declining social values among the key factors fueling insecurity in the country.
The governor stressed the need for a strong public service system and effective institutions to address the challenges, adding that efficient service delivery would help build resilient communities, promote economic growth, and strengthen social cohesion.
According to him, investing in inclusive and quality education, technical skills, teacher development, lifelong learning, and safe learning environments remains crucial to achieving peace and sustainable development.
Alia argued that education, when deliberately prioritised, can serve as a long-term solution to insecurity by tackling issues such as ignorance, poverty, religious extremism, and unemployment.
“Rather than relying only on force and media threats, quality, accessible, compulsory and functional education fosters social cohesion, religious tolerance, and economic empowerment, which are essential for building a peaceful society,” he said.
The governor also advocated for continued reforms in Nigeria’s education sector and constitutional amendments, including the establishment of state police, to strengthen the country’s security architecture.
The Vice Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Prof. Hakeem Awehinmi, commended Governor Alia for delivering the lecture, describing his presentation as a valuable contribution to academic discourse.