The Executive Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has identified illiteracy as a major contributing factor to the lingering insecurity in Nigeria.

Governor Alia made this known yesterday while lecturing on the topic, "Insecurity and Education in Nigeria and the quest for development" at the Quarterly Lecture Series of the Yakubu Gawon University, Abuja, formerly the University of Abuja.

He recalled that the past decades in Nigeria have witnessed an unprecedented level of insecurity, such as the Boko Haram insurgency, which happens to be an attack on Western education; banditry; terrorism; kidnapping; herders & farmers’ clashes that resulted in several deaths and massive destruction of property, making national security threats a major issue for the government.

The Governor identified major drivers of insecurity in Nigeria to include illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, inequality, weak institutions, ethno-religious tensions, poor governance and declining social values.

In order to address the security challenges in the country, Governor Alia suggested a good public service and strong institutions, stressing that the public service is responsible for delivering essential services and supporting the needs of the state and its people.

"Through efficient and effective public service delivery, we can build stronger and more resilient communities, foster economic growth, and promote social cohesion".

The Governor emphasized that inclusive, equitable and quality education, lifelong learning, technical skills, teacher development and safe learning environments be encouraged at all levels to enhance peace and promote sustainability.

He said education when intentionally employed, will always serve as a foundational, long – term model for combating insecurity in Nigeria by addressing its root causes such as illiteracy, ignorance, poverty, religious extremism and unemployment.

"Rather than using force and media threats, quality, accessible, compulsory and functional education system fosters social cohesion, religions tolerance, and economic empowerment which are crucial for building a peaceful society" the Governor added.

He called for a continued strengthening of the Nigeria educational system and the pursue of complementary constitutional reforms, including the establishment of State Police, to enhance the security architecture, noting that such measures will promote peace,