TheCable

Usman Baba, the inspector-general of police (IGP), says climate change is a major driver of poverty, crimes and insecurity in Nigeria.

Baba said this, on Tuesday, during the launch of the ‘one – Nigerian – one – tree’ national tree planting initiative.

He said human activities like desertification and deforestation show a strong connection between climate change and internal security.

The IGP said competition for natural resources between farmers and herders is as a result of climate change not just in Nigeria but across Sub-Saharan Africa.

“The IGP, while noting that there is a strong connection between climate change and internal security, observed that human activities including desertification, deforestation and other elements of climate change, are major drivers of poverty, crimes and insecurity generally,” Frank Mba, police spokesperson, quoted the IGP, in a statement.

“Specifically, the IGP noted that the intense rivalry and competition for natural resources between farmers and herders occasioned by climate change is at the root of some of the violent clashes, not only in Nigeria, but across the sub-Sahara and the Sahel region.

“The intense rivalry and competition for natural resources between farmers and herders occasioned by climate change is at the root of some of the violent clashes, not only in Nigeria, but across the sub-Sahara and the Sahel region.

“The IGP therefore commended the organizers of the program, and expressed his belief that the initiative, which constitutes one of the non-kinetic approaches of the Force in combating crime, would assist the Force in proactively responding and addressing the increasingly broadened and complex security threats in the country.”

The IGP pledged the commitment of the force to the 25 million tree planting initiative of the federal government, saying the exercise will be replicated across all zonal and state commands.