2023 Census Threatened By Insecurity, Says National Security Adviser

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno has highlighted factors likely to militate against the successful conduct of the 2023 Census.

The NSA noted that the spate of insecurity across the country arising from banditry, kidnapping, armed conflicts, terrorism, and other violent crime might pose challenges to the census exercise.

Monguno disclosed this during the inauguration of the 2023 population and housing census national security and logistic committee in Abuja, on Tuesday.

He said, “Let us be very realistic. This is a possibility and this could manifest in the form of physical attacks on NPC staff and facilities, attacks on security personnel on census duty, inter/intra-communal violence disrupting preparatory and main census work, attacks targeting NPC databases and ICT architecture, intimidation of members of the public to dissuade them from participating in the process, snatching and destruction of census materials, among others.”

Monguno assured that the government has set up measures for the safety of the movement of personnel and materials before, during, and after the census.

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Chairman of the commission, Nasir Kwarra expressed confidence that with the structure and facilities of members; organization, the “committee has all it takes to mitigate the security and logistic challenges of the 2023 census”.