Insecurity is one challenge the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration couldn’t resolve. In an agenda setting for the newly inaugurated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration Nigerians make recommendations on how insecurity can be addressed, ABDLRAHMAN ZAKARIYAU reports.
The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government, so says the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, Section 14 (2) (b). However, the country has continued to battle myriads of security challenges ranging from activities of insurgents and bandits; cessationists, kidnappers; internet fraudsters; and other violent crimes.
This is as most Nigerians believe once our security problems are completely resolved, then other problems can easily be solved.
In line with this President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his inaugural speech, Monday, assured Nigerians that his administration would reform the security doctrine and architecture; adding that security would form the fulcrum of his administration.
“Security shall be the top priority of our administration because neither prosperity nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence.
“To effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security doctrine and its architecture. We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means more than an increase in number. We shall provide better training, equipment, pay, and firepower,” he stated.
Nigerians have continued to make recommendations as to how insecurity can be addressed.
Appoint competent, unsentimental service chiefs – NYCN
For President, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Amb. Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, the first step towards tackling insecurity in the country should start with the appointment of the service chiefs.
Sukubo in an interview with Blueprint Weekend noted that those who will our security must be persons that are courageous, competent, and with a thirst to tackle insecurity head-on.
“Yes, everything starts and ends with the President. So, the first step President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should take is to appoint competent, courageous, and unsentimental service chiefs.
“This is important because the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, and other security agencies will not perform beyond the capacity of their leaders. So, the type of people appointed as service chiefs will determine the extent to which this administration will go in tackling security.
“For me, the President should appoint service chiefs that have the leadership skill, on and off the field knowledge, young, respected, competent and above all service chiefs who will be fair to all Nigerians in the discharge of their duties.
“These service chiefs most command respect among their various security institutions and above all appointment of service chiefs should have the national spread and a spread that will gain the support of Nigerians,” he stated.
‘President must demonstrate political will to fight insecurity’
Similarly, a Security Expert, Jackson Lekan Ojo, has said the political will to fight insecurity was what Tinubu needed to address the myriad of security challenges facing the country.
Ojo, who is a golden member of the International Security Association (IWA), Switzerland, in an interview with Blueprint Weekend also cautioned that the new administration must not politicise or sectionalise insecurity.
The security expert urged Tinubu to be decisive and ruthless in tackling insecurity, stating: “Security is the most important thing. The new administration must come with the political will to fight insecurity, and Tinubu’s Presidency must not politicise the issue of insecurity.
“Aside from this, it must not sectionalise the issue of insecurity. This administration must be very decisive and ruthless to deal with insecurity; decisive in providing leadership for the military and paramilitary tackling insecurity.
“If all these can be done by this administration there won’t be any problem at all. However, if Tinubu’s administration handles the issue of insecurity with levity, they won’t achieve the desired result.
“What do I mean by handling the issue of security with levity? When you give an ultimatum or order to the Chief of Army Staff, or the Chief of Defence Staff, or the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and they fail the President must fire the person liable. This will serve as a deterrent to others,” Ojo declared.
Dialogue with agitators; equip security agencies – Youth parliament
On his part, the Speaker Ndigbo Youth Parliament, Comrade Rikky Nwajiofor, said insecurity was a national issue and charged President Tinubu to dialogue with agitators and equip the security agencies.
Nwajiofor noted that if the new administration tackles insecurity head on it would fare well in other aspects of governance.
In a phone chat with our correspondent, the speaker stated, “There are agitators here and there, he should dialogue with agitators. The past administration failed because it failed to dialogue with agitators. Tackling insecurity is not all about force.
“Number two, the security personnel should be well equipped to tackle the issue of Boko Haram because Boko Haram insurgency is no more about agitation, but now terrorism. It is a clear fact that there are some saboteurs in the security system.
“Mr. President must look inwards and do some reshuffling. He must have men that will deliver and those who will not divert money meant for the personnel.
“When these and some other factors are put in place President Tinubu-led administration will be able to tackle insecurity. And I think if he’s able to tackle insecurity, he will do well in other sectors.”
Synergy between govt, security agencies
Also speaking to Blueprint Weekend, the Chief Executive Officer, Societal Safety Network (SSN), Comrade Abdulrahman Agbooal, emphasized the need for President Tinubu to ensure synergy between the government and security agencies.
Agboola in an exclusive interview with our correspondent expressed hope that the Tinubu-led administration would listen to suggestions on how insecurity can be tackled.
According to him, “Coming on board now at this particular moment, they have to realise that the major way to solve insecurity is to run a popular government an all-inclusive government driven by the purposes of the people, not just the government coming on board and making a pronouncement.
“Just like what President Tinubu mentioned that is government is going to be about dialogues. If the President understands the relevance of dialogue, then it means whatever he wants to do especially on security, he must dialogue with those concerned, including stakeholders.
“He will have to first leak it to sensitive people who are close to him the civil society organizations will be asked to have a roundtable discussion to have a think tank more in tackling insecurity.
“Another thing President Tinubu can do to tackle insecurity is to uphold the rule of law. I can tell you, that making law counts in Nigeria, is the recipe for fighting insecurity.
“These security personnel have been compromised to a level where it is critical to get any results. Security personnel, especially the police are being so much disrespected by the populace because they did not respect themselves.
“And it is the federal government of Nigeria that has disrespected the police more. You can’t make police orderlies to only rich people and except to get better results. If one person that only has money and people cannot even verify the source of wealth is going around with many police, whereas many communities are without a single police, then what do you expect?
“So this administration has to ensure that police are in their office, post strategic location and communities doing what they are constitutionally empowered to do. The police must be respected by all.
“President Tinubu must ensure the much-needed synergy between the governments and the civil society organizations have an immediate effect, to be able to begin engagement with the police and other security agencies.”
Speaking further he said: “Another thing is an institutionalising discipline in the security system. The security personnel must be disciplined, and there must be a good reward and sanction system with the security architecture.”
Comrade Agboola also advocated for more operational funding, recruitment, and pay rise for the security personnel.
‘Tackle poverty, youth idleness’
The Chief Executive Officer, Civil Society Initiative for Accountability and Development (CISMOD), Comrade Opeyemi Ismail has charged President Tinubu to end poverty and youth idleness.
He said once the causal effect was addressed it would be easy and less expensive to tackle insecurity.
Ismail in an exclusive interview with our correspondent said, “What I think is more valuable to address insecurity in Nigeria is by addressing the causal interest of insecurity. When well talk about causal interest I mean poverty, unemployment, hunger, and other social issues that are affecting the huge number of Nigeria.
“By reducing the poverty rate, crime will not be attractive to the people. When you create employment, make food affordable to all, and address other social problems then the ability to recruit people into criminal gangs will be reduced.
“This is because the population will be busy doing one thing or the other that earns them livelihood. When President Tinubu’s administration does this they will have a few criminals or fundamentalists to deal with and it will be easy for them to tackle.”
… Malam Ahmed Soja too
On his part, Malam Ahmed Soja, while speaking to journalists, recently, said insecurity is the most disturbing situation confronting the North West.
He stated, “The people of North-west turned out in larger numbers and voted for President Bola Tinubu because they believe in his capacity and ability to turn things around in the country, especially the security challenges confronting some parts of the country.
“Therefore, the best gift that President Tinubu will give us in Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, and other states is to secure us. Insecurity has ravaged some of our villages and rural communities. We want him to swing into action and tackle the security situation as soon as possible so that life will return to normal in our areas and we can go about our normal business.”
Soja also emphasized the need for Tinubu to apply novel ideas in tackling the issues of youths’ idleness and unemployment.
According to him, youths’ idleness and unemployment are one of the major factors responsible for insecurity in some parts of the country.
Effective community policing system
For Arewa Youths President Tinubu needed to introduce a working community policing system or State Police to complement the efforts of other security agencies.
President, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Alh Yerima Shettima, in a phone chat with our correspondent, described President Tinubu as somebody who is very experienced.
“I remember vividly when he was Governor Lagos state, as crowded as Lagos was and coupled with multiple security challenges the moment he took over from a military administrator he introduced a security operation. And all of a sudden things began to fall into place. When it comes to leadership I have no doubt in my mind that he will tackle the security challenges confronting our nations.
“From experience, I can tell you it won’t be business as usual for the criminals. What is important for him to do is to look for the leadership of the armed forces. President” Speaking further he said, “Tinubu must look for those with the experience, the will, the determination, and Nigerians who are very patriotic, let them be considered to come to the fore.
“It is easy to know the good ones from among the bad ones. You do not expect someone to be criminal-minded or unserious and who does not believe in the country to be put at the helms and expect results.
“He should drop those service chiefs and bring the younger elements; assess their records, give them jobs, give them tasks, and give them three or six months to perform. If they can’t perform then sack them. He should keep changing them and bringing people that will bring results.
“He must be very decisive because we cannot run the country as if we are running a banana republic where impunity takes the order of the day, where people do things and get away with it.”
