The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has lamented that most individuals in Northern Nigeria are unable to afford even a single square meal per day, attributing this crisis to the ongoing insecurity and socio-economic hardships in the region.

The remark was made during a one-day community engagement held in Katsina, chaired by Professor Sani Abubakar Lugga, the fifth Wazirin Katsina. The engagement’s theme was “Imperative of Popular Participation in Tackling Socioeconomic Challenges Bedeviling Nigeria Through Community Solutions.”

The National Coordinator of the Coalition, Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, spoke to reporters about the severe insecurity in the Northern Region, stating that “insecurity is walking with its two legs in the North.”

He added that it is time for action, as “people can no longer afford three square meals. We are not even talking about three square meals; people cannot afford a single square meal per day.”

Charanchi criticised the lack of action from leaders, saying, “These are the reasons we have seen, and we have come to realise that the leaders are not even ready to address the problems.”

He added, “To some extent, not only the leaders but even ourselves we have a contribution to do so that at least we can get ourselves out of this quagmire.”

The CNG plans to engage community members to identify ways they can contribute to alleviating insecurity and economic hardship in the North.

“The main target here is the community to know how they can contribute to alleviating the problem bedevilling the region,” Charanchi stated.

He further addressed the broader issues facing Nigeria, linking them to a crisis of leadership, noting that all the problems facing Nigeria, ranging from corruption itself, insecurity, economic hardship, and dilapidation in the infrastructure in the education and health sectors, show there is a crisis of leadership.

Charanchi elaborated, “It’s very unfortunate we don’t have leaders in this country. All we have are politicians. The problem with politicians is that they always care about how to secure the next election. But a true leader cares about how to secure the next generation.”

He expressed doubt regarding the integrity of current leaders, questioning if they have fear of God “…and I doubt much if our leaders believe that service to humanity is a service to God.”

He characterised the leadership as self-centred individuals who believe in enriching themselves and looting the treasury.

In his remarks, the Special Guest of Honor and Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda, praised the organisers of the meeting and noted that the state government has made significant progress in addressing insecurity.

Represented by the State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Bala Zango, the governor stated, “Katsina has become a role model in the North in terms of tackling insecurity.”

Radda advised the youth to learn from the recent nationwide Hunger/End Bad Governance protests, which saw peaceful demonstrations turn violent.

He stressed the need for dialogue as a means of addressing issues, saying, “Rather than protest, let us resort to dialogue, which is the best solution to problems.”

He acknowledged the losses incurred during the protests, stating, “We have seen the lives that have been lost and property destroyed as a result of the protest.”