BACAS Alumnus Raises Alarm Over Youth Unemployment, Drug Abuse in North-East

BACAS Alumnus Raises Alarm Over Youth Unemployment, Drug Abuse in North-East

By Samuel Luka, Bauchi

A member of the Bauchi College of Arts and Science (BACAS) Old Students Association, Mr Daniel Musa Mohammed, MNI, also known as Kagaman Deba, has warned that rising youth unemployment, drug abuse and idleness could pose a serious social challenge to Nigeria, particularly in the North-East.

Mohammed issued the warning while delivering a lecture at the BACAS Grand Convention and Golden Jubilee Celebration held on Saturday at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi.

Reflecting on his experience at BACAS, Mohammed described the institution as a vibrant centre of learning that provided students with free tuition, hostel accommodation, meals, soap, scholarships, dedicated lecturers and adequate infrastructure.

He said the values and discipline acquired at the institution had played an important role in the academic and professional lives of its graduates.

«“The ethics we learnt in BACAS helped us in our university education and our working places. Most of us have worked for 35 years and retired,” he said.»

However, Mohammed challenged members of the old students’ association, particularly retirees, to consider how they could deploy their experience, resources and networks towards addressing pressing social and economic challenges confronting younger Nigerians.

He drew particular attention to the demographic profile of the North-East, citing figures he attributed to the National Youth Survey (NYS) 2025.

According to him, the region has an estimated 11.3 million young people between the ages of 15 and 35, with females accounting for 52.8 per cent.

He further claimed that about 42.2 per cent of youths in the region had never attended school, attributing the high out-of-school rate to insecurity, conflict, displacement and humanitarian pressures, particularly in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

Mohammed also raised concerns about unemployment and underemployment, saying the combined rate among young Nigerians remained exceptionally high, while poverty levels in northern Nigeria had worsened in recent years.

He warned that the combination of unemployment, poverty, limited educational opportunities and prolonged idleness could create conditions conducive to violence, substance abuse, gangsterism and other forms of criminality.

«“The net effect is a large army of idle youths with high dependency ratio, low investment capacity and high tendency towards social vices such as violence, drug abuse, gangsterism and crime,” he said.»

He expressed particular concern over what he described as the increasing prevalence of drug abuse among women, both married and unmarried, urging stakeholders to treat substance abuse as a broader public-health and social-development challenge.

Mohammed also cited the experience of the Arab Spring, arguing that widespread youth unemployment and economic frustration had contributed to social unrest in parts of the Arab world.

He referenced a British Generation Next report which, according to him, raised concerns about the potential consequences of persistent youth joblessness in Nigeria.

Beyond the immediate social consequences, he said widespread unemployment could have significant economic implications, including reduced productivity and consumer spending, weaker investment capacity and a long-term “scarring effect” on the earning potential of young people.

He also linked prolonged youth unemployment to increased risks of armed robbery, kidnapping, militancy, violent protests and substance abuse.

Areas for Youth Engagement

To address the challenge, Mohammed identified agriculture, irrigation, solid minerals, oil and gas, information and communications technology (ICT), solar energy, entertainment and tourism as sectors with significant potential for youth employment and enterprise development.

He urged BACAS alumni to use their professional experience, networks and resources to develop practical programmes capable of engaging young people in productive economic activities.

Mohammed specifically called for the establishment of committees within the Old Students Association focusing on economic development and humanitarian activities.

Such initiatives, he said, would enable the association to extend the legacy of BACAS beyond its alumni and contribute meaningfully to addressing contemporary social and economic challenges.

The BACAS Grand Convention and Golden Jubilee Celebration brought together former students and stakeholders to commemorate the institution's history while reflecting on its contributions to education and society over the decades.