Benue State Governor, Rev Fr. Hyacinth Alia has identified illiteracy and poverty as major contributing factors to the lingering insecurity situation in Nigeria.
Governor Alia, who identified the causes of insecurity at the Quarterly Lecture Series of the Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja (formerly University of Abuja) on Friday, July 10, 2026, noted that the past two decades, has witnessed an unprecedented level of insecurity in Nigeria.
He said that the insecurity included the Boko Haram insurgency which happens to be an attack on western education, banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, herders and farmer’s clashes that resulted into several deaths and massive destruction of property, making national security threat a major issue for the government.
While speaking on the topic; “Insecurity and Education in Nigeria and the quest for development”, Governor Alia identified the major drivers of insecurity in Nigeria to include illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, inequality, weak institutions, ethno-religious tensions, poor governance and declining social values.
He said that in order to address the security challenges, there was the urgent need for a good public service and strong institutions, stressing that the public service is responsible for delivering essential services and supporting the needs of the state and its people.
Alia said; “Through efficient and effective public service delivery, we can build stronger and more resilient communities, foster economic growth, and promote social cohesion”.
The Governor also emphasized the need for inclusive, equitable and quality education, lifelong learning, technical skills, teacher development and safe learning environments that must be encouraged at all levels to enhance peace and promote sustainability.
Alia noted that when education is intentionally employed, it will always serve as a foundational, long–term model for combating insecurity in Nigeria as well as addressing its root causes such as illiteracy, ignorance, poverty, religious extremism and unemployment.
In the words of Alia; “Rather than using force and media threats, quality, accessible, compulsory and functional education system fosters social cohesion, religions tolerance, and economic empowerment which are crucial for building a peaceful society”.
The Benue State Governor therefore called for a continued strengthening of the Nigeria educational system and the pursue of complementary constitutional reforms, including the establishment of State Police, to enhance the security architecture.
He stressed that such measures will promote peace, good governance and sustainable national development.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Hakeem Awehinmi thanked Governor Alia for honoring the invitation to serve as the first guest Lecture on the platform, saying his well researched presentation will add value to the quality of scholarship in the University.
