Politics
SECURITY experts have called on President Bola Tinubu to appoint only security chiefs with high pedigrees at all levels, to make significant changes between his administration and others.
The experts pointed out that Nigeria had officers with impeccable records in the military, police and other security agencies that could change the security narratives of the country.
They made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), while reacting to the maidern address by Tinubu during his inauguration.
NAN reports that President Tinubu in his inaugural speech, said that security shall be the top priority of his administration.
According to him, neither prosperity, nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence.
“To effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security doctrine and its architecture.
“We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means more than an increase in number. We shall provide better training, equipment, pay and firepower,” the new president assured.
Mr Dennis Amachree, a retired Director from the Directorate of State Security (DSS), said that with the new government, there were high hopes from many Nigerians, especially in the area of security.
” I seriously hope that the hopes of Nigerians will not be dashed from the expectations they had in 2015.
“I will expect the new administration to face the problem of security by restructuring the Policing system to enforce the rule of law.
“The president needs to balkanise the police, retrain them and direct them to quickly harvest the low hanging fruits in society,” he said.
For Mr Ben Okezie, a security consultant, President Tinubu has a good knowledge on what the country is facing and what he did in security sector as Governor of Lagos State.
Okezie noted that Lagos State was faced with security challenges, but Tinubu then, requested for one of the best Police Commissioners, Mr Mike Okiro, who was CP Benue Command to be moved to Lagos Command.
He said under Mike Okiro, the Military Operation Sweep was changed to Rapid Respond Squad (RRS), currently operating in Lagos State up till date.
Okezie said that the establishment of RRS and adequate funding of the outfit under Tinubu changed the security narrative of Lagos State.
“It’s same thing he can bring to the national level. The president can call up all the high and top Chief Security Officers. The one he feels won’t be able to deliver should be removed immediately.
“Before then, he should see what they can do before deciding who to let go or retain. And those dismissed should be replaced by better qualified officers.
“The president should provide their necessities, equipment, welfare so they won’t have any excuses and they will be motivated. When officers see their fellow colleagues die or something happens without them being taken care of or compensated, they won’t be motivated.
“They also have families to take care of, so the fear of dying will be on their minds. There are some that have retired and begging for their compensation, which is not right.
“Their benefits are supposed to be given to them immediately after retirement,” he said.
On the restructuring and reforming the security architecture of the country, Okezie urged the president to approve State Police as he had been one of the promoters of such institution.
He said with State Police, the governors would be in charge of the security of their States, stressing that the governors would be in best position to tackle security challenges with their local police.
Okezie also advised the president to increase the numerical strength of the police from 10,000 recruitment yearly to 20,000 through the state governors.
Mr Chris Oji, a former President of Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria, journalist covering defence and security, said he expected the president to declare State of Emergency on security and tackle the insecurity headlong.
Oji said that many deaths were recorded through terrorism, banditry, herders/farmers clashes, communal crises, cult clashes and extra-judicial killings, among others between 2015 and 2023.
“This is a big challenge to the new administration, considering the fact that foreign countries like USA, Canada and UK, had issued out warnings to the citizens on where there are red alerts,” he said.
Oji said the appointment of Service Chiefs should not be from a particular region, rather, their appointment should be on their pedigrees, competence and dedication to duty.
He also advised the president to talk to oil companies, communication service providers, banks and other agencies to assist security agencies by providing funds and necessary information on suspected criminals.
“The president should reduce the allowances of political office holders and channel our resources more on security.
“There should be a security trust fund where money should be raised for security. There is massive unemployment in the country and this has fueled serious security challenges.
“The government should know that insecurity is chasing investors away from the country. The police should be well equipped with modern equipment and technologically advanced tools,” he said.
Mr Folorunsho Attah, another security consultant, said he has no doubt that President Tinubu meant his words as security matters were always uppermost in his heart.
Attah said that with his performance as a governor in Lagos State in security matters, he would do well as president.
“If he was able to curtail the activities of ethnic militias such as OPC as governor, one is of the opinion that he would do better at the center,” he said. (NAN)
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Tags: Ben Okezie Folorunsho Attah Mike Okiro President Bola Tinubu
