Hunger, Poverty Now National Security Threats – CDS Gen. Musa....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has warned that hunger and poverty have escalated beyond social issues and now pose serious national security threats.

Speaking at the opening of the 14th National Security Seminar in Abuja on Monday, Gen. Musa stressed the urgent need for a coordinated national response to these challenges. The seminar, themed “Combating Hunger and Poverty for Sustainable Peace and Development in Nigeria,” was organised by the Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AANDEC) in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Defence College (NDC).

Represented by Chief of Defence Training, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shetimma, the CDS said economic deprivation, food insecurity, and social dislocation are increasingly driving insecurity across Nigeria.

“Insecurity today is not only measured by the presence of weapons but by the absence of food, jobs, and social stability,” he said. “Hunger and poverty have evolved into national security threats.”

He cited Benue State—once revered as Nigeria’s food basket—as a stark example of how banditry, displacement, and farmer-herder conflicts have crippled agricultural productivity.

Musa warned that the disruption of farming communities and illegal occupation of farmlands are worsening food inflation, forcing displacement, and triggering internal migration, thereby eroding economic stability and national unity.

To address this, he urged communities to support intelligence gathering and remain vigilant in order to deny criminals and terrorists safe havens.

He also called for immediate investment in rural agriculture and appealed to government and stakeholders to reposition farming as a respected and economically viable profession by improving access to credit, infrastructure, and markets.

“With young people abandoning rural communities for cities, agricultural output is falling,” he noted. “We must restore the dignity of farming—not as a fallback option but as a national calling.”

General Musa also expressed strong support for President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its commitment to local government financial autonomy, describing it as essential for grassroots-driven development.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria, working alongside other security agencies and with the backing of the people, remain fully committed to tackling all forms of insecurity,” he said. “We envision a Nigeria where every citizen can live in peace, earn a decent living, and enjoy the dividends of democracy.”

In his remarks, AANDEC President, retired Air Commodore Darlington Abdullahi, emphasised the need for sustained investments in education, economic empowerment, and social inclusion, calling them crucial non-military tools for addressing Nigeria’s growing insecurity.

“Hunger and poverty are not just humanitarian concerns—they are existential threats to national stability,” he said.

Quoting the adage, “The children of the poor you fail to train will never let your children have peace,” Abdullahi stressed the dangers of neglecting the socio-economic welfare of the population.

“When millions go hungry and live in poverty, they become vulnerable to manipulation and violence,” he warned. “We must invest in our people—especially in education, skills training, and inclusive economic programmes.”

He also called for the establishment of a leadership and vocational centre for the widows and children of fallen soldiers, which he said would serve as a meaningful way to empower vulnerable families and promote national healing.

Stay connected via Google News

Follow us for the latest travel updates and guides.