Politics
…calls for urgent action against rising insecurity
By Anthony Isibor
THE Centre for Social Justice, CSJ, a Nigerian Knowledge Institution, says that with the current security situation in the country, it can be categorically stated that the government has abandoned, failed, refused or neglected to enforce its primary and constitutional duty of guaranteeing the security of Nigerians and residents in Nigeria.
The group disclosed this in a statement signed by Eze Onyekpere, Lead Director, that the new reality is exemplified by the late December 2023 killings in Plateau State, incessant killings in Katsina State, 45 passengers kidnapped as gunmen attacked transporters along Otukpo-Enugu Road and the ongoing kidnap and murder of innocent Nigerians in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
It explained that although the situation has degenerated so much, Nigerians are yet to hear any concrete and reassuring words from the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces or high-level officers of state on the way forward.
It stated that security in the last 10 years has enjoyed the highest allocation in federal budgets to cater for the various security agencies maintained at the tax payers’ expense. Budgetary allocations have been proposed and spent on personnel, arms and ammunition, aircrafts and vessels, vehicles, equipment, including intelligence gadgets, yet when these crimes have been committed, the security agencies have been unable to investigate, arrest and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“We are worried at the seeming cluelessness and inability of the security agencies to deploy intelligence to prevent and nip in the bud the insensitive acts of criminal elements that have no regard for human lives. We are further worried that
“In FCT, the minister in charge, instead of addressing the challenge seems more interested in continued fueling of a political crisis in his home state, Rivers State,” it added
The CSJ, therefore called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently tackle the upsurge of insecurity in the country through the following recommendations:
1. It urged the Federal Government to expeditiously take steps for the amendment of the 1999 Constitution and enactment of new laws for the establishment and activation of State Police.
2. Intelligence should be mainstreamed and prioritized in policing and security work.
3. The activation and routine deployment of the SIM GSM database and inventory for investigations and tracking of criminals is long overdue.
4. Liberalise the processing of gun licenses for responsible law-abiding tax paying citizens for the purpose of self defence.
5. Reward hard working and result oriented security and police personnel, who diligently discharge their duties and impose sanctions on personnel, whose negligence, failure or refusal to act contribute to insecurity and general security lapses.
6. The financial resources to implement this could come from more prudent management of existing security resources.
7. Nigerians need to be reassured through concrete security action on the ability of the state to protect lives and property.
A.
-January 16, 2023 @ 18:12 GMT|
Tags: Anthony Isibor CSJ Eze Onyekpere
