Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Lucky Irabor has met with retired senior military officers in the South-west to discuss way out of the current security challenges in the country.
Speaking at the opening of the meeting Thursday at the headquarters of 2nd Division Nigerian Army Ibadan, Irabor said it was part of efforts at tracing the root causes of security challenges in the country.
He said the meeting was to tap from the wealth of experience and knowledge of the retired officers and other stakeholders.
“Whatever experience and solutions gathered from the meeting will help in tackling various security challenges in Nigeria. With your wealth of experience and knowledge acquired over the years, we believe there is no better cross-section of Nigerians that should better be engaged than you.
“You are most qualified and knowledgeable on issues of security and because of this, we have brought you here. You know security issues in your neighbourhood,” Irabor said.
The CDS tasked the participants to be sincere, forthcoming and open during the meeting, urging them to be committed to the unity, peace and progress of the country.
Irabor said the armed forces would leverage the wealth of experience of the retired officers for the betterment of the region and Nigeria in general.
The CDS said the military had been re-assessing its operational engagements on daily basis to improve the security of the country.
Also addressing the participants, the Chief of Defence Military Cooperation (CDCMIC), Rear Admiral Fredrick Ogu said the meeting was expected to bring some salient issues to the attention of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) and also proffer solutions.
He said the South-west interactive meeting was being held in Ibadan in view of the cosmopolitan nature of the city and Lagos, both experiencing series of emerging security threats.
Ogu said the participants would deliberate on the various security challenges confronting the South-west.
The CDCMIC further disclosed that the security parley would be replicated in the other five geo-political zones at selected state capitals and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.
In his remarks, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division Nigerian Army, Major-General Gold Chibuisi, appreciated the CDS for trying to tap from the experience of the retired senior officers.
Chibuisi said they had a critical role to play in assisting the nation to tackle the security challenges in Southwest and Nigeria in general.
Osinbajo reassures
And from Vice President Yemi Osinbajo came the reassurance that the security challenges facing the country would soon be a thing of the past.
To this end, he said the recent supplementary budget sent to the National Assembly was to enhance the capacity of the military and other security agencies as major effort towards beefing up the federal government’s response to the menace.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity (Office of the Vice President) Laolu Akande in a statement Thursday quoted Vice President Osinbajo as saying this Wednesday evening when he received in audience His Royal Majesty Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti Oba Adeola Adeniyi Ajakaiye at the Presidential Villa Abuja.
In attendance were Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Otunba Niyi Adebayo and Senator Opeyemi Bamidele among others.
Vice President further stated that traditional rulers, local and state governments must also collaborate with the federal government in tackling insecurity.
He said: “The President has recently constituted a committee that will look at the whole security infrastructure with a view to looking at the needs of the military, as well as the police and security agencies.
“The result of that is a bill before the National Assembly, a supplementary bill. The purpose of that bill is to present some of the needs of the military, as well as of security agencies in order to be able to beef up our response to the security challenges.
“We have to keep looking at how to support our (security) services to ensure that our country is safe. I can assure you that soon, the issue of insecurity will be a thing of the past, and that we will all live in peace and prosperity in this country.”
The vice president said much as the federal government was concerned to improve security nationwide, community effort was also vital in tackling the issue from the roots.
“There is no question at all that, at the level of community, we need to take decisive action, because most of these things occur in our community level.
“And I’m very happy to hear that you have a committee organised for the purpose of this (tackling insecurity) and that you’ve been able to contain the menace that we see in different parts of the country in your community.
“Any country with this number of security challenges must respond as robustly as possible. But it is also important to bear in mind that it takes a combined effort of all of us, at the local government level, state and federal levels; all of the levels; we need to come together to tackle this issue of insecurity,” the statement said.
Osinbajo also said the federal government would provide necessary support to the community in tackling its challenges, adding the government was working with the Ekiti state government on dealing with insecurity, as well as various issues.
In his remarks, the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Oba Adeola Adeniyi Ajakaiye, thanked the VP for granting them audience and listening to their demands, including support for the establishment of a Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences in the community.
“Again, as a community, we have come to appreciate you (Vice President) for your diligence, hard work, commitment and loyalty; and that, we from the South West, are very proud of you. We want to assure you that we are very much in support of you. From our own end, we are doing a lot to ensure that the menace of insecurity will not remain in our domain,” Oba Ajakaiye said.
