Climate change threat to national stability, deepening inequalities – Gov Uba Sani
Kaduna State governor, Senator Uba Sani, has described climate change as not only an environmental crisis but a profound threat to national stability, deepening inequalities and heightening the risk of conflicts. Speaking at the opening of a regional conference on climate change-induced conflicts in Northern Nigeria, attended by representatives of the 19 Northern State governments, religious leaders and various agencies, he noted that rising temperatures, shifting weather patterns, and extreme weather events are no longer distant threats. The governor warned of desertification rendering once-fertile lands barren, alongside shrinking rivers and accelerating deforestation as stark indicators of the urgency to act with the recent floods across Nigeria, particularly in Kaduna. According to him, "These environmental changes are severely disrupting livelihoods, displacing communities and intensifying competition for scarce resources such as water, arable land and food." As natural resources become scarcer, Senator Sani said that tensions would inevitably rise and the farmer-herder conflicts will continue to illustrate how environmental stress can lead to conflict. The governor underscored the vulnerability of Northern Nigerias agrarian communities, predominantly composed of farmers and pastoralists, who are now facing substantial losses due to unfavourable climate conditions and livestock diseases. Despite those challenges, he observed that people must remain resilient and work collectively to develop strategies that would not only address their immediate needs but prepare them for future climate challenges. Governor Sani called on individuals, communities, organisations, and nations to build resilience against disasters and crises, advising that they anticipate, prepare for, mitigate, and recover from the effects of shocks and stresses without compromising their long-term potential.