At a one-day dialogue stakeholders dissected strategies to nip insecurity in the bud in Kwara, writes ADEKUNLE JIMOH, who attended the summit in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital
The lingering security challenges in parts of the country necessitating the establishment of regional security outfits has become a major source of worry to all.
Indeed, the setting up of Amotekun security outfit by the South West state governors and the banning of okada and tricycle operations in some areas in Lagos metropolis has heightened fears of many people in Kwara State. This is not unconnected to the fact that Kwara State shares national boundaries with most of the western states.
Against this background, Kwara State government recently organised one day dialogue on insecurity in the state.
Stakeholders comprised of traditional rulers, religious leaders, security operatives etal converged on Ilorin, the state capital to discuss strategies on how to make Kwara secure.
In his opening remark, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said he had discussed with his other colleagues in the North Central to borrow a leaf from the South Western state governors.
He said social inclusion, youths empowerment, and timely administration of justice are key to fostering peace and development in any society.
Mallam AbdulRazaq said: “We will definitely continue to give the necessary and complementary logistic support to our security agencies.
However, we believe that security is a broad concept that goes beyond arming the various security agencies or hanging cameras everywhere.
“We feel strongly that securing our society requires inclusion and empowerment of all the segments of our society. It involves guaranteeing social justice for everyone. It involves ensuring that no child is left behind in every developmental agenda. And it involves making sure that the justice system is not unduly slow or deliberately tilted against anyone.”
He said the dialogue was a follow up to a recent security meeting of the governors in the north central region and security developments in other parts of the country.
AbdulRazaq commended the security agencies and traditional rulers for their efforts to keep the peace in Kwara.
He said the administration is introducing social investment programmes to ensure that no one is left behind and guarantee peace and harmony.
“Hunger and poverty are catalysts for crimes and they must be addressed headlong,” the Governor said, adding that the dialogue had been called to harvest the views of all the stakeholders in the state.
Keynote speakers Prof Hassan Salihu of the University of Ilorin and Prof Dakas Dakas of University of Jos said Kwara is peaceful but must be proactive to respond to security threats nearby and early warning signs.
They hailed the government for the security dialogue which they described as timely.
While Dakas called for a regime of accountability, respect for rules of engagement, and more support for the security agencies, Salihu called on the public to see security as a joint project to be owned by all.
Salihu said politicians must learn to draw the line between politics, campaign period and governance, calling on all stakeholders to sidestep their differences and build a sustainable system that works for all.
The experts also called for more capacity building for the security agencies and other personnel of government in charge of security matters.
Security chiefs in the state applauded the dialogue initiative but called on the masses to always speak up when they see danger signs around them.
Directorate of State Service chief Steve Ajege said the dialogue under pined AbdulRazaq’s effort to further secure the state.
He called on parents to revisit the issue of family value and discipline and to work with security agencies to cut crime rate in the society.
Read Also: Amotekun: Lawmakers to hold simultaneous public hearing on bill
Said Mr. Ajege: Security problems are like mustard seed when they germinate they balloon out of control. Breakdown in societal and family values is responsible for the plethora of security challenges currently facing the country.
Kidnappers and terrorists belong to homes and they have parents. But they don’t have respect for constituted authorities.
“Effective security is a collective responsibility of all.
Effectiveness of security agents is dependent on the amount of information at their disposal. We are begging you members of the public to give us accurate information about goings on in your areas so that you can hold us responsible for lapses on our side. Security consciousness is the root cause of the challenges in our country.”
On his part, the state police Commissioner Kayode Egbetokun said community policing is underway and called for support for the initiative that he said would rely heavily on local personnel and intelligence gathering.
Mr. Egbetokun said that “the police have decided to take policing back to the people. The initiative is expected to reduce fear of crime and criminality in the state and by extension the country.”
According to him “Kwara is unarguably the most peaceful state in Nigeria. It is peaceful not because there are no criminals and conflicts in our communities; it is peaceful not because there is nothing to state in Kwara, but because of the synergy between all the security agents in the state,” he added.
“This is the right time for this dialogue. Incidentally, we have a governor who has shown more knowledge on the depth of security in the country. We should not abuse his open door policy by supplying him with fake news. Fake news is a big business in the state. Instead we should support the governor to do his job,” he said.
Ilorin zonal head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Isyaku Sharu said that the root cause of insecurity is corruption, adding that insecurity and corruption are intertwined.
Mr. Sharu added that “if we see corruption as alien and detestable to our culture we will conquer corruption. The youth must stop glorifying and approbating ill-gotten wealth.”
Other security agencies spoke in similar pattern, with the NDLEA calling on parents to pay attention to the activities of their children and lamenting the rising rate of drug abuse.
The Emir of Ilorin and chairman of the state traditional council Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari called on the Nigerian government to make better use of the traditional institutions as did the colonial masters.
Gambari commended the government for the dialogue, calling for better welfare for members of the security agencies and funding for traditional institutions to boost communal peace.
“Security began with the traditional institution. The colonialists came and adopted our system and called it indirect rule. This meeting will determine the next line of action as far as security is concerned in the state. Traditional institutions had to be recognized and encouraged. Governments at all levels should make provision for us as we are ready to assist in securing our domains.
“We will not open our eyes and allow anybody to come and destroy our peace. We don’t have religious problems in Kwara State.”
On the establishment of alternative outfits by some state governors, the monarch said that dearth of security personnel in the country has necessitated that action.
He urged government not to treat the welfare of security personnel in the country with kid gloves.
Also commenting, representatives of Muslim Stakeholders Association Prof Lanre Yusuf and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Bishop Sunday Adewole, urged the government to build its security strategies around the traditional and religious institutions.
The two religious leaders called for tolerance and harmony and restoration of religious and family values.
Specifically, Bishop Adewole attributed security challenges in the country to collapse of value system as well as celebration and glorification of ill-gotten wealth by some members of the society.
Leave a Reply