By Omotayo Edubi
The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, has said that youth recruitment by insurgents is caused by climate change impact on Lake Chad.
He said this on Tuesday while speaking at the Future Investment Initiative Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
While advocating for public and private partnerships to support investment efforts to recharge Lake Chad, he added that such collaboration will address insecurity in West Africa.
“As we strive to build resilience towards a sustainable economy in our various countries, let us not forget the negative impact of climate change on our efforts to achieve this goal. Nigeria and many countries in Africa are already facing the challenges posed by climate change,” he said.
“Climate change has triggered conflicts, food insecurity, irregular youth migration, rising level of sea waters, drought and desertification, as well as the drying-up of Lake Chad.
“In the Lake Chad Basin region, where Boko Haram insurgency continues to undermine the peace, security and development of the region, climate change is largely responsible for the drying up of Lake Chad which has shrunk by more than 85 percent of its original size.
“The diminishing size of the Lake is at the root of the loss of millions of livelihoods, displacement of inhabitants and radicalization of teeming youths in the region who are recruited to serve as foot soldiers in the insurgency.
“In order to redress this situation and restore the lost fortunes of the Lake Chad Basin region, strong public-private partnership through massive investments will be needed to recharge the waters of Lake Chad. I am confident that this forum will rise to the challenge in the interest of durable peace and sustainable development of our region.”