The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto and Founder of The Kukah Centre (TKC), Matthew Hassan Kukah, has revealed that insecurity in Northwest Nigeria has claimed over 12,000 lives in the past decade,
Speaking on Tuesday at the second edition of the Northwest Regional Conference on Women, Peace, and Security in Abuja, Kukah also noted that 76% of all abductions recorded in Northern Nigeria occurred in the Northwest region.
The event was organized by Global Rights Nigeria in collaboration with The Kukah Centre, Isa Wali Empowerment Initiative, and the Community Dialogue Committee, with support from UK Aid.
Addressing the gathering via Zoom, Kukah stated, “Reports indicate that in the Northwest alone, over 4,500 incidents of abductions and kidnappings have been recorded in Northern Nigeria. More than 12,000 men, women, and children have lost their lives. Abductions continue to escalate, with 76% of them occurring in the Northwest.”
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He described the region as a hotspot for criminal activities, emphasizing the need for women’s empowerment and community resilience to combat these challenges. He called for collective action to address the crisis, uphold human rights, and restore dignity to affected communities.
Kukah urged communities to take proactive steps in tackling insecurity, setting aside religious and political differences for a united response.
Earlier, the Executive Director of Global Rights, Abiodun Baiyewu, highlighted the worsening security situation in the Northwest over the past decade. She explained that the conference was convened to assess the threats to Nigeria’s peace and unity, explore the role of social cohesion in peacebuilding, and recognize the efforts of individuals working to foster security and stability in the region.
“Peacebuilding is a long and challenging journey that cannot be undertaken alone. It requires the combined efforts of security personnel, community leaders, men, women, youth, elders, indigenes, and settlers,” Baiyewu said.
In her goodwill message, the Executive Director of Partners West Africa – Nigeria (PWAN – Nigeria), Kemi Okenyodo, emphasized that including women in peacebuilding is not merely an issue of fairness but a proven strategy for effective conflict resolution and long-term stability.
