Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd), has attributed the growing recruitment of Nigerian youth into extremist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP to widespread poverty and social exclusion.
Speaking at the 18th Distinguished Public Lecture Series of the Federal University, Lokoja, Buratai stressed the urgent need for reforms in both governance and security to effectively tackle extremism. He pointed out that the absence of government presence in many remote communities has created fertile ground for extremist recruitment.
He emphasized that Nigeria’s large youth population of over 60% must be engaged and empowered to drive national development and resist radical influences.
“Youth engagement is not optional in Nigeria. When empowered, our young people have the potential to be key drivers of development across all sectors,” Buratai said.
He warned that failure to engage the youth leaves them vulnerable to manipulation by extremist groups, criminal gangs, or foreign actors.
“If we neglect our young people, we risk losing them to forces that threaten national security. But when properly empowered, they become defenders of the nation and builders of its future,” he added.
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