– Govt now to tackle terrorism, kidnappings, banditry, farmer-herder crisis headlong
– Ten-point agenda to tackle security challenges now being considered for implementation
The Federal government today gave a stern warning to groups attacking police stations, military formations and security personnel in several parts of the country to desist forthwith, else to be prepared to be met with swift lethal force.
Giving the warning in Lagos, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed further said that government is not overwhelmed by the security challenges facing the country in form of terrorism, kidnappings, banditry and farmer-herder crises, and was set to tackle them headlong.
Said the Minister: “One of the most difficult things to do, for a
democratically-elected government, is to use the instruments of
coercion against its own people.
“For example, while the nation’s military have superior firepower over the rag tag band of Boko Haram and ISWA, the terrorists most often than not operate among the populace, either in our villages or towns, hence the military, in tackling them, is usually careful to avoid collateral damage.
“The same applies to the kidnappers who abduct our school children. Usually, the location of the kidnappers is not unknown to the security forces, but they still have to exercise caution in order not to hurt the same children they are trying to rescue.
“Despite these inhibitions, the security forces have the wherewithal to decisively tackle the challenges.”
Alhaji Mohammed described as a “growing dangerous trend”, the practice of launching deadly attacks against the nation’s security personnel, noting that “soldiers as well as police, customs and other security agents have been killed and maimed in some parts of the country in this growing trend of targeting security forces.”
He then warned that “any attack on our security men and women is
an attack on the state and a declaration of war against the nation. It follows, therefore, that this will be countered with overwhelming force.
“When those whose responsibility it is to protect us are
themselves being subjected to mindless attacks, it can only be for one reason only: To instill fear and evoke a sense of pervasive insecurity among the people. Whether known or unknown gunmen, those engaged in this dastardly act will pay dearly for their actions.”
He said having realised that the security challenges
the country faces today are systemic, the government has, in addition to kinetic efforts, also embarked on various non-kinetic measures to most effectively tackle them.
Accordingly, the Minister said a 10-point agenda to tackle the challenges, which was arrived at during a Town Hall Meeting on national security held in Kaduna on April 8, 2021 had been considered by the National Executive Council (NEC), chaired by the Vice President and having all governors as member, for implementation.
He said what remains for the 10-point agenda to be implemented was for the various state governors to hold their own Town Hall meetings to carry the people along, and for the Federal Executive Council to give the final go-ahead.
He listed the 10-point agenda as follow:
i. That the governance of human society should be based on Law
rather than the whims and caprices of human beings and must be obeyed by all as all persons are equal before the law including the law givers.
ii. That there is an urgent need for political restructuring and not separation.
iii. That the Judiciary be decentralized and reformed through
Constitutional Amendment to remove the unitary control of the Superior Courts.
iv. That governments at all levels should ensure free, qualitative and compulsory Primary Education for all children of school age.
v. That the Military, Police and other Security Agencies should be expanded in number, retrained, provided with modern equipment and technology to cope with emerging security challenges.
vi. That both religious and traditional leaders should encourage and promote inter-marriages for unity as contained in the 1999 Constitution as amended, Article 15, 3(c) which prescribes inter-marriage among persons from different places of origin, or of different religious, ethnic or linguistic association or ties.
vii. That the establishment of State Police should be supported by the National and State Houses of Assembly to enable State Governments have firm control in addressing security issues.
viii. That Traditional Rulers should be given their age-long role of maintaining peace and security within their domain.
ix. That the Local Government Autonomy be actualized to enable them have control of their areas including the ungoverned spaces in tackling security challenges.
x. And finally that the Farmers/Herders clashes be addressed by
establishment of ranches, grazing reserves with modern amenities to check the trans-humans of the herders.
The Minister also noted that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has announced that the Federal Government is set to prosecute 400 suspects arrested for allegedly funding terrorism.
“This is unprecedented and its a testament to the government’s determination to decisively tackle terrorism and other violent crimes,” he added.
