Insecurity, Social Woes in the North as Critical as Economic Challenges, Says Dalhatu

In a frank address to senior federal government officials and Northern civil society representatives in Kaduna, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Bashir Muhammed Dalhatu, said the problems facing Northern Nigeria go beyond economic neglect: insecurity and social dislocation must be treated as central, not peripheral, concerns.

Dalhatu, speaking at an interactive session organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, reminded listeners that the North had delivered a substantial portion of the votes for the current administration — yet he contended that that support has not been matched by commensurate attention to the region’s problems.

According to him, persistent waves of terrorism, banditry, kidnappings, and other violent crimes across many parts of the North have disrupted livelihoods and stunted social development. He argued that these security challenges have penetrated daily life — undermining education, agriculture, local economies, and community stability.

Dalhatu also pointed to systemic neglect in infrastructure, power supply, agricultural support, and social services. He noted that despite the North’s vast contribution to national agriculture and landmass, federal funding and investment in these key sectors remain disproportionately low.

He described budgetary allocations to Northern roads, power, and essential services as insufficient to reverse chronic underdevelopment.

Furthermore, Dalhatu warned that resolving economic inequalities alone would not heal the region. Rather, any credible effort to revive Northern Nigeria must combine security interventions, social investments, and renewed support for education, health, and youth empowerment. He called for a comprehensive “reset” — one that addresses root causes like unemployment, poverty, and social disintegration, not just symptoms.

His remarks come amid calls from other Northern leaders at the ACF’s 25th-anniversary event, echoing that peace, unity, and social cohesion are prerequisites for development and prosperity in the region.

In Dalhatu’s view, the North’s challenges require urgent, bold, and sustained action — combining security, social policy, infrastructure, and inclusive governance — if past grievances and neglect are to be reversed and the region’s full potential realised.