Rising Insecurity: Babangida Spurs Northern Leaders

THIS DAWN — Former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), has called on Northern leaders to urgently return to the region’s foundational values of humility, unity and service.

General Babangida warned that the continued erosion of these principles is contributing to worsening insecurity, social tensions and economic decline across the North.

Babangida, widely regarded as one of the elder statesmen of Northern Nigeria, issued the caution in a public message.

The statement sparked renewed debate over the direction of the region and the responsibilities of its political, traditional and community leaders.

According to him, the North’s long-standing identity—built on modesty, communal support, moral discipline and respect for leadership—has weakened over the years, giving rise to fragmentation and distrust.

He expressed concern that the region’s once cohesive leadership structure has gradually become polarised.

This, he left, has left Northern Nigeria vulnerable to the escalating challenges of banditry, terrorism, rural decay and youth unemployment.

“The North was founded on values that placed community above self,” he noted.

He added that a return to those ideals was necessary to stabilise the region and reposition it for growth.

Leading by example

Babangida emphasised that leaders must demonstrate humility and lead by example.

He stressed that leadership built on arrogance, self-interest or ethnic rivalry cannot provide the moral foundation needed at a time of crisis.

He also urged for unity of purpose, cautioning that internal divisions—political or otherwise—have made it more difficult to forge collective solutions to the region’s security and economic problems.

The former military ruler further warned that socio-economic challenges, if not urgently addressed, could worsen the insecurity cycle, as more young people become vulnerable to recruitment by criminal and extremist groups.

He said Northern leaders must prioritise education, job creation and investment in agricultural development.

He noted that these sectors have historically served as the backbone of the region.

Stakeholders across the North have reacted to Babangida’s comments, with some describing them as timely and necessary.

Civil society groups say the statement reflects the growing frustration of ordinary citizens who feel abandoned by political leaders.

Meanwhile, others argue that regional transformation will require not just moral appeals but concrete policy shifts.

Nonetheless, Babangida’s intervention adds a powerful voice to the growing calls for introspection and reform in Northern Nigeria.

He insists that a renewed commitment to humility, unity and service is the first step toward restoring peace, stability and development in the region.