Northern Security Monitoring Committee, which includes leaders of civil society organisations (CSOs), has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to employ citizen engagement as a strategy to solve the security crisis in Nigeria.
The committee, which gave the advice during a virtual meeting, also consists of researchers, retired military and security personnel, ambassadors, and judges.
The meeting was organised after an armed group abducted at least 300 schoolboys from the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State.
President Buhari had assured Nigerians, in late July 2020, of his commitment to deploy more resources to the military, police and other security agencies to deal with the deteriorating security situation in the country.
‘We are making available resources to them to even do better’, Buhari said in a message to Nigerians shortly after performing the Eid prayers with his family and aides at the forecourt of the State House, Abuja.
‘But we are keeping them on the alert all the time to do their duties’.
However, despite a recent invitation to appear before the National Assembly in other to discuss and address the issues concerning the worsening insecurity President Buhari declined to honour the invitation.
The committee during the meeting underlined the worsening security situation in the country, especially in the northern parts where cases of kidnapping and attacks by armed bandits have increased, as a dangerous trajectory that must be dealt with.
It was noted that the country and its security forces were losing the battle against insurgents and bandits and as such highlighting the need for fresh ideas and strategies.
To this effect, the group urged President Buhari to ‘urgently commence regular and systematic engagements with the citizens from who second opinions could be obtained for the effective prosecution of all acts of insecurity in the country’.
They further emphasised that the engagements will also require a certain level of community-organisation which can best be carried out by traditional and religious leaders, as this will encourage them to play crucial roles in contributing towards the security of their communities.
Further reviewing the performances of security agencies in the country, the group noted that the inability of the armed forces to work together in accomplishing the sole purpose of defeating the ongoing insecurity needs to end so as to achieve synergy between them.
Source: SCDDD
Photo source: BBC
