23-6-2025
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Christopher Musa, has listed hunger and poverty as major security national security threats.
“Insecurity today is not only defined by weapons but also by economic deprivation, food insecurity, and social dislocation,” said General Musa said at the opening of the 14th National Security Seminar organised by the Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AANDEC) on Monday in Abuja.
“Hunger and poverty are no longer mere social challenges – they have become national security threats.”
The seminar with the theme: “Combating Hunger and Poverty for Sustainable Peace and Development in Nigeria,” was organised in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and National Defence College (NDC).
The CDS, represented by the chief of defence training, Rear Adm Ibrahim Shetimma, called for a unified national approach to combating hunger and poverty, stressing their growing impact on Nigeria’s internal security.
General Musa noted that the disruption of farming communities and the illegal occupation of farmlands contributed to food inflation, displacement, and mass migration, destabilising the economy and national cohesion.
“The North-Central region, particularly Benue, once considered Nigeria’s food basket, is a clear example of how banditry, displacement, and farmer-herder conflicts have devastated agricultural productivity,’’ he said.
The defence chief called on communities to deny criminals and terrorists sanctuary by supporting intelligence gathering, timely reporting and community vigilance.
“I assure you, the Armed Forces of Nigeria, in collaboration with other security agencies and with the support of the people, remain resolute in overcoming all security threats,” he said. NAN
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