A former Governor of Kano state, Rabiu Kwankwaso has lamented that the country lacks the political will to confront the escalating wave of insecurity that has engulfed the nation.
Kwankwaso, who is the Vice presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 elections from Zamfara, Borno, Sokoto, Katsina, and Kwara to Oyo and several other parts of the country, Nigerians can no longer sleep with both eyes closed.
The former lawmaker in a statement issued Tuesday decried that banditry, kidnapping for ransom, terrorism, communal clashes, and armed robbery have tragically become daily occurrences.
He noted: “What is most alarming is the audacity of these criminals, who now brazenly hold live sessions on social media to taunt the authorities and terrorise the public.
“This is totally unacceptable and not befitting of a sovereign nation like ours.
“As someone who has served this country at various levels, including as Governor of Kano State and Minister of Defence, where we confronted and significantly reduced security challenges through decisive leadership and community engagement, I remain convinced that insecurity is not insurmountable.
“What we lack today is not resources, but the requisite political will and sincerity to confront this menace head-on.”
Kwankwaso pointed out that the current approach has clearly failed, despite massive budgetary allocations to the security sector, the situation continues to deteriorate rapidly.
He stressed that innocent lives are being lost daily, families are displaced in their thousands, and our economy is suffocating under the heavy weight of fear and instability.
Kwankwaso added: “We cannot continue on this dangerous path. Nigeria’s security architecture requires an urgent and comprehensive overhaul.
“Additionally, to safeguard our socioeconomic wellbeing, the government must prioritise the provision of quality education, modern infrastructure, accessible healthcare, reliable electricity supply, and essential agricultural inputs.
“This approach will strengthen local food production and reduce over-reliance on imports for food security.
“We must immediately prioritise the welfare and motivation of our gallant security personnel, strengthen intelligence gathering, enhance community policing, and, most crucially, tackle the root causes of this crisis; poverty, mass unemployment, and poor governance through massive investment in quality education, skills acquisition, and job creation for our teeming youth.”