President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that there was a need to counter the ideological mischief that has pervaded the discourse of peace and security in the North-west region.
The President stated this on Monday when he declared open the North-West Peace and Security Summit with the theme, “Regional Cooperation for Securing Lives and Livelihoods in North West Nigeria,” organised by the North-West Governor’s Forum in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at Government House, Katsina State.
The President, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima added that there was also a need to reverse the institutional frailties governing security and the economic dysfunctions that create vulnerabilities to crime.
The Senior Special Assistant to Shettima on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha in a statement issued Monday said Tinubu assured that his administration would not rest on its oars until banditry, terrorism and other forms of insecurity are completely eliminated from the country.
He said at the moment, the nation is witnessing a turning point, as the strategies being adopted by security forces, including rules of engagement employed, are already beginning to yield results.
Tinubu stated: “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.
“Who else can better understand the complexity of the crisis of a region than the people themselves? This has been a turning point, and I am proud to share that the strategies we have employed have begun to provide redemption. We are not slowing down until we achieve our aim.”
The President noted that beyond the economic rationale that drove the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria, the formation of the country was inspired by the need for mutual protection.
He noted: “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.”
Earlier, Katsina State Governor, Umaru Radda, lamented that the activities of banditry in the state and other parts of the North West, including Niger State, have cast shadows on most of the communities, crippling social economic activities in the areas.
Radda, who is the Chairman of the North West Governors’ Forum noted that the forum would not allow the menace of banditry to defile the region.
He said, “As leaders, we must adopt a multifaceted approach that includes robust intelligence gathering, community policing and deploying advanced security technology. Furthermore, to enhance the capacity of our national security forces, we will continue to improve it and provide adequate resources.
“To effectively combat banditry, we need to strengthen intelligence gathering networks. This means improving our surveillance system, investing in modern technology such as drones and satellite imagery and enhancing coordination among our security agencies. We must establish the most efficient communication to ensure timely response to threats.”