Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin Republic, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai (Rtd), has said the North-East lacks development and this is fuelling insurgency in the zone.
Buratai, former Chief of Army Staff, stated this on Friday in Yola at the 24th, 25th and 26th convocation lecture of Modibbo Adama University.
According to Buratai, who was the Guest Lecturer, the underdevelopment of the North-East was the major factor fuelling insurgency and insecurity in the geopolitical zone.
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“Any country that does not ensure the development of its people would have security challenges.
“We should not rely on the military option as the only way to resolve our security challenges.
“We must address the ideological, economic, social, and political factors.
“My recent diplomatic foray has further sharpened my views on the urgent need for military, as well as non-military solution to the lingering and needless conflict”, he said.
Buratai also said that the situation required synergy, political will, sacrifice and commitment of government, civil society, traditional rulers and all stakeholders to curtail the sporadic attacks and bring the conflict to a permanent conclusion.
“Central to the argument of this paper is that security and development in the North-East should not be addressed individually but as one intrinsic element and that development is a requirement for stabilisation,” he said.
Buratai pointed out that anyone that only relied only on the military and other instruments of coercion to resolve an insurgency such as Boko Haram terrorism is bound to continue to suffer insecurity. (NAN)