As part of efforts to ensure that the agitation for the
creation of state police becomes a reality, the chairman of the Nigeria
Governors’ Forum, NGF, and the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has
opined that there was the need for a security system that is localised,
knowledgeable about the culture and security situation of a particular community,
hence the establishment of the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed,
‘Amotekun.”
The governor gave the opinion on Tuesday, while speaking at
the 7th annual birthday lecture series in commemoration of the birthday of the
former Minority Whip of the House of Representatives and a two-term member of
the House, Babatunde Oduyoye, held at the International Conference Centre,
University of Ibadan.
The governor, while speaking on the theme: “Security and
National Unity in Difficult Times,” stressed that the challenge of insecurity
in Nigeria has become frightening and is getting all and sundry concerned.
Fayemi noted that if federal government must tackle the
security challenges confronting the country, it must be prepared to declare
bandits, terrorists and kidnappers as criminals regardless of their
geographical indication.
The guest lecturer stressed that it has become imperative to
amend the constitution to empower the various security initiatives to be able
to respond to the current challenges in the country.
His words: “The challenge of insecurity in Nigeria is
frightening and is getting all of us concerned. At the dawn of the current
democratic dispensation in 1999, the major concern of security experts was the
staccato of ethnic and religions violence that was common then, that was before
the dawn of the Niger-Delta militancy which took almost a decade.
“A new phenomenon in insecurity however waded in with the
violent campaign of Boko Haram activities in many parts of the north.”
“Added to this is Nigeria’s extensive and porous borders
covering over 4000 kilometres littered with illegal entry points and routes
totalling 1500 points.”
“With the porous borders, criminal gangs and terrorist
insurgents could easily stroll in with smuggled weapons into the country which
in turn are sold to sea pirates, cultist, armed robbers, kidnappers, bandits
and other purveyors of violence in the Nigerian state.”
“In fact the creation of Amotekun can only be a precursor to
this. We need a security system that is localised, knowledgeable about the
culture and security situation of a particular community.”
“But we need to amend the constitution to empower the
various security initiatives to be able to respond to the current challenges.”
“For example, despite not possessing Ak47 which the bandits
possess, Amotekun operatives have been courageous to confront them in the
forest and have successfully rescued victims of kidnapping and arrested the
criminals in some instances.”
“Yet, these people are at best, volunteer corps with
encouragement stipend paid to them. They don’t earn as much as the conventional
police, yet they are better motivated to throw themselves to the protection of
the community where they have their wives, children and families.”
As a panacea to Nigeria’s security challenges Governor
Fayemi advocated the need for unity the face of the evil merchants who have no
respect for children, old age, women, clergy or traditional authorities.
READ ALSO: Kidnapper kills colleague during shootout with
Amotekun in Ondo
“They are unsparing and are callous. They have no sympathy
for religion, ethnicity or authority and undiscriminating in the pursuit of
their satanic enterprise. We must not be
ashamed to call for assistance from wherever we can get it in terms of
technology, equipment and personnel.”
“In addition, there are two things that we need to address
quickly to bring the current wave of insecurity to a halt. We need to have a
conversation on how we can recruit a large number of people to join the police
and the military even on a short service or otherwise.”
“By available statistics, we need minimum of two hundred
thousand personnel to boost the fighting power of our men. This number is very
large and a potential financial and logistic nightmare, yet we cannot delay any
further. The ungoverned spaces need to be closed up quickly by motivated men
with the singular objective to save the nation,” Fayemi posited.
In his address, the co- chairman of the event, former Senate
President, Adolphus Wabara, opined that the Federal Government needed the
decentralization of the over-centralized security apparatus in the hands of one
ethnic nationality in Nigeria by deploying the constitutional approach of
federal character to the national security system.
“Every morning when I have to open the pages of newspapers
or read through posts on the social media, my heart cut at the extent of
violence being unleashed on citizens of Nigeria. There are stories of killings, kidnapping,
banditry, cattle rustling and herders’/farmers brouhaha from the North East,
North West and North Central part of the country, the same way we are bombarded
with stories of violence, armed robbery, kidnapping and herdsmen infractions
from the South West, South East and South South. Its just like, everywhere you go, there is
violence and killings.”
“Besides, there have been growing agitations for
self-determination from the South East and South West in recent years. In
recent days, the news media was awashed with stories credited to the Attorney
General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), where he threatened that the
Federal Government would declare a state of emergency in Anambra State, in view
of the wanton killings taking place there.”
“Well, my party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has
promptly reacted and told the Federal Government to back off such thoughts. In
the same vein, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Afenifere, PANDEF and other nationality
groups have spoken.”
“Rather than adopting the knee-jerk approach in tackling the
myriads of security problems facing the country currently, the government at
the centre needs to look deep down and design solutions”
Wabara who also represented Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal
of Sokoto congratulated Babatunde Oduyoye, for his commitment to the nation and
for showing leadership by instituting the birthday lecture.
Speaking, Government Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, who was the
chief host, described Oduyoye, who is currently serving as his Special Adviser
on Strategy and Political Matters, as a unifier.
“Well, we have all listened to the lecture, which was given
by a Ph.D. holder in war studies. But I only have one or two things to say
about today’s celebrant, Hon Babatunde Oduyoye. Governor Fayemi said he is a
good man. Yes, He is.”
“And one thing I can say about Hon Babatunde Oduyoye is, He
is a unifier. In this gathering, I have seen members of the APC and PDP. I can
also see members of the aggrieved PDP. Also, I can see some members of
progressives (Afenifere). So, He is a unifier.”
On why he organised the birthday lecture, Oduyoye, said the
love and patriotism for the country drove the passion to institute the
Babatunde Oduyoye Birthday Lecture Series.
The former House of Representatives member said the journey
started in the year 2003, a year after his election into the National Assembly
as the member representing Ibadan North-West/Ibadan South-West Federal
Constituency.
He said passion to contribute his quota to the development
of the country made him take a small corner from which he felt he could change
the world.
“This journey started in the year 2003, a year after my
election into the National Assembly as the member representing Ibadan
North-West/Ibadan South-West Federal Constituency.”
“The conceptualisation of this event, which has become a
veritable platform for the discussion of critical national issues and an avenue
for seeking solutions to the challenges that bedevil of our darling country.
“As a nation, we have had innumerable challenges and threats
to our national unity, while on a daily basis, stories of terrorism, banditry,
violence, killings and other insecurity challenges continue to weaken the
hearts. Agitations for restructuring, national dialogue or whatever name anyone
chooses to call it, continue to ring loud, while threats to peace and continued
existence of the nation continue to rankle.”
“It was in the midst of this cacophony, this confusion that
a still small voice whispered in the ears of the Babatunde Oduyoye Annual Birthday
Lecture Committee that we should yield the platform for discussions on unity,
peace and order in our dear nation,” he said.
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