A former Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has stated that the security challenges currently plaguing the country is as a result of bad leadership.
He lamented that the Boko Haram insurgency which broke out in 2009 has now metamorphosised into one of the most dangerous international terrorist organisations.
Dogara shared his concerns on Wednesday in Ibadan while presenting his keynote address at the 2025 World Interfaith Harmony Week conference and awards with the theme, ‘The love of the Good, and the love of the neighbors’.
The erstwhile lawmaker, who was represented by Timothy Golu, lamented that Boko Haram has led to the death of thousands of people and displacement of over five million others.
Dogara cautioned that the current challenges may not be tackled if leaders do not rise up to save the situation.
He said, “For the 12 months preceding December 12, 2024, 10 countries were categorised as extreme-conflict countries. These are – Palestine, Myanmar, Syria, Mexico, Nigeria, Brazil, Lebanon, Sudan, Cameroon and Colombia. It is no surprise that Nigeria occupies the 6th position on the global chart.
“We have had a number of crisis since independence, the worst of which was the civil war from 1966 to 1970. Seems we didn’t learn much from that sordid episode, after all.
“The evidence of our abysmal failure at nation building are right under our noses- the formation or the rise of successionist groups such as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, Niger Delta Frontier Force, Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Oduduwa People’s Congress among others.
“However, it is in this democratic era that we are now witnessing the worst security challenges in Nigeria.
“The Boko Haram insurgency that broke out in Borno state in 2009 has now metamorphosised into one of the most dangerous international terrorist organisations leading to the deaths of thousands of people and displacement of over five million others.
“At some point, Nigeria was ranked the third most terrorized country in the world after Afghanistan and Iraq.
“This is apart from mass kidnappings for ransom, banditry, armed robbery, ethnic and religious clashes.
“Also, Farmer-Herders crisis has bedeviled Nigeria for some unbroken years now. It has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, damaged local economies, and entrenched ethnic and religious polarization which continue to claim thousands of live Successive administrations since 1999 have been unable to tackle this primarily due to ineffective responses.”
The event was attended by former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, former governor of Ogun State, Senator Gbenga Daniel, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar who was represented by President of Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN), Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev. Daniel Okoh, former President, CAN, Reverend Supo Ayokunle, Executive Secretary of MUSWEN, Professor Muslih Tayo Yahaya and Dr. Yemi Farounbi