London — A one-day conference of the Nigeria Muslim Forum UK (NMFUK) held at University of Leicester, United Kingdom, has listed poverty, corruption, bad governance and injustice as the major factors in the crises and challenges plaguing Nigeria.

In a communique issued in London yesterday, NMFUK said the presenters at the conference agreed that: "poverty has affected the society with such depth that people react sometimes in very unpredictable, unreasonable manners," and blamed the malaise "on bad leadership, corruption and a culture of extravagance."

The communique, signed by Dr Dr Musa Aliyu, said injustice combined with poverty "precipitates and fuels violence and insecurity," while "people resort to violence, which often dominates such reactions, in order to serve as deterrence and ensure they get justice."

The group said in order to tackle insecurity in the North, serious and deliberate efforts should be taken to reduce poverty and ensure that justice is dispensed to all irrespective of gender, tribe, ethnicity or creed.

Speakers at the conference included a former Army Chief , Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazau; Islamic scholar and computer expert, Sheikh Isa Ali Pantami; Former FCT Minister, Dr Aliyu Modibbo; and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Mathew Kukah, who made a recorded video presentation, among others.