KATSINA (Sundiata Post) – President Bola Tinubu has lamented that the seeming intractable security situation in Nigeria and especially in the north may not be unconnected with what he described as security compromises and historical injustices his administration inherited.
“We promised to make Nigeria safer and this aim has been our topmost priority since we came to office,” Tinubu said at a security summit organised by the North-West Governors Forum, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Katsina.
Vice President Kashim Shettima represented Tinubu at the programme and read the President’s address.
According to Tinubu, “beyond the economic rationale that drove the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria, the formation of our great nation was inspired by the need for mutual protection.
“But, I ask, how can we achieve this sacred objective if one part is afflicted? We have long established that whatever ails any part of this federation destabilises the other. So, the issue of national security in the North-West is not a sectional agenda.
“The road to redeeming the security compromises we inherited was mapped out before we embarked on this journey. We realised that achieving the peace we seek necessitates addressing the historical injustices that have torn communities apart.
“We must also reverse the institutional frailties governing security and the economic dysfunctions that create vulnerabilities to crime. We must also counter the ideological mischief that has pervaded the discourse of peace and security in the region.
“The solution we seek is a region where every trade is safe, where every group is at peace and where the policing and military presence of the state is optimal.
“This disintegration, from cycles of clashes between herders and farmers, has ruptured the ideas of oneness upon which the North revolved. This was followed by a regime of cattle rustling that set herders on a path of violence.
“Over the past decades, we have seen how these land-use disputes drove the farmer-herder conflicts, as climate change diminished our arable land and water resources, as the capacity of our security forces was overwhelmed, as unauthorized arms proliferated conflict zones, as corruption undermined our quest for solutions, and as criminal and insurgent elements exploited the complexity of our crisis to cross into our borders.
“What we are witnessing across the North is an explosion of these damaged relationships and we have come to say: enough is enough.
“Our first decision was to task our brothers from the North-West and the North-East with the defence and security of the region.
“Our military forces, through various operations such as Operation Hadin Kai and Operation Safe Haven, have made true their promise to the nation by targeting insurgent groups like Boko Haram and bandits who have held us ransom for too long. “Through enhanced border security and intelligence capabilities, we have disrupted and dismantled criminal networks.
“To build pragmatic solutions to our security compromises, we are strengthening collaborations among the Services and other security agencies to ensure a unified approach.
“The kinetic and non-kinetic interventions we have pursued are designed to build the perimeter of our security infrastructure to the point that every child who goes to school returns safely, every person who sets out on a trip arrives at their destination securely, every trader who goes to the market conducts their transactions without fear, and every farmer plant seeds and harvests their produce in secure environments. We cannot achieve this unless we come together.”
Chairman of the North-West Governors’ Forum who is also the Katsina State Governor, Umaru Dikko Radda, noted that the fight against insecurity is primarily a federal responsibility.
He revealed that ensuring every child access to quality education and youth empowerment would assist in tackling the menace.
“Banditry has cast a shadow over our communities. It has disrupted lives, stifled economic activities and instilled fear among our people.
“We cannot allow this menace to define our region. As leaders, we must adopt a multifaceted approach that includes robust intelligence gathering, community policing, and deploying advanced security technologies.
“Furthermore, we must enhance the capacity of our national security forces through continuous improvements and adequate resources.
“To effectively combat banditry, we need to strengthen our intelligence networks.”
According to Radda, this means improving the region’s surveillance systems, investing in modern technology such as drones as well as satellite imagery and enhancing coordination among various security agencies.
He pointed out that the leaders must also establish more efficient communication channels to ensure timely responses to threats.
“However, addressing banditry is not solely the responsibility of our security agencies. We must engage with local communities, traditional rulers, and religious leaders to foster a culture of cooperation and trust,” he said.
He added that community engagement was crucial in gathering actionable intelligence and building resilience against criminal activities.
“Most states in the region have already established community security initiatives where local outfits work hand in hand with formal security forces to protect their communities.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, said the problem has persisted over a long period, hence the need to provide answers to the root causes of the problem.
“We have had a series of conferences on this problem, we must provide solutions to them.
“We have met with the Northern Governors’ Forum four to five times on the same issue. We must tell ourselves the truth about what we must do to challenge these bandits,” he said.
Abubakar assured continued support of the traditional institutions in addressing the problem.
The UNDP representative in Nigeria, Elsie Gyekyeua Atafauh, described the summit as a vital step towards promoting development and deepening the foundation of peace in the region.
“If Nigeria must retain the position of giant of Africa, we must pay attention to the North-West,” she said.
