Former Minister of Transportation and ex-Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has warned that Nigeria’s security challenges will persist unless the government pairs military action with economic empowerment and inclusive governance.
Speaking during an interactive session with youth members of the African Democratic Congress Coalition on Sunday, October 12, Amaechi said poverty and inequality — not religion or ethnicity — remain the root causes of insecurity across the country.
“Any leader who wants to resolve insecurity in Nigeria must understand that physical policing alone will not be the solution,” he said. “No matter how much you equip the police and the army, the other people will continue to equip themselves to fight back the state actors.”
Amaechi argued that over-reliance on military force without tackling economic deprivation only deepens instability, stressing that “true national security begins with policies that expand opportunities and restore citizens’ trust in government.”
He recalled his approach as Rivers State governor, which combined law enforcement with development initiatives to reduce crime.
“When we got in, we started building primary schools in every village, constructing healthcare centres, and opening rural roads,” Amaechi said. “Beyond that, we localized contracts so that contractors came from the same communities where the projects were sited. When you pay them, they pay their workers — and that money circulates within the community. It created jobs, kept people busy, and reduced crime.”
He said the integrated strategy — blending security operations with social investment — cut off incentives for young people to turn to violence.
“We didn’t just say, ‘If we catch you kidnapping, we shoot you.’ No. We created alternatives first, then policed the state. People knew that if they engaged in kidnapping or banditry, they were criminals, not freedom fighters,” he explained.
Amaechi said the results of that approach were measurable, noting that he often personally visited previously unsafe areas at night to verify whether security measures were restoring public confidence.
He urged today’s leaders to adopt similar models by addressing livelihoods as a foundation for sustainable peace.
“You can’t police hunger,” Amaechi said. “You build peace when people have work, dignity, and faith in government.”
