By Chimezie Godfrey
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has flagged off campaign against political thuggery, Kidnapping, drug addiction, radicalization and violent extremism as part of efforts to curb the security challenges ravaging the country
The Director General, DG, NOA, Dr Garba Abari at the flag-off event on Tuesday in Abuja, tagged ,”Building a Secured and Safer Nigeria for All” said this is the framework for the Agency’s new intervention to curb violence and other social vices in Nigeria.
In collaboration with security agencies, traditional rulers, civil society organizations, among other stakeholders, Abari expressed optimism that this will help stem the tide of crime across the country.
According to him, one of the aim of this effort is to reduce the rate of crime in order for the country to achieve a more peaceful environment come 2023 elections.
He said,”Security challenges, banditry, secessionist tendencies, insurgency, rural banditry, kidnapping, political thuggery, are with a common threat that is passing through all of this that are happening, and this common threat is drug addiction and substance abuse, and all of these have a direct underpinning of the relationship to sustenance of peaceful, secure environment and we are all concerned towards the creation of peaceful and secure environment as we move towards the election.
“Now the necessity of this sensitization and radicalization awareness is even more important given the role they play as young men and women that constitute the larger chunk of our national demography in the political force.
“Is it the campaign, the elections, their role in monitoring elections, their role in escorting the politicians to the campaigns, their role in singing praises to their political mentors, all of these cumulatevely put together needs to be conceptualize and seen in the prism of a common threat, infact this is the effect of drug addiction, substance abuse, and direct impact on the society that is not peaceful, that is not secured and that is not good for governance.”
On how the Agency hope to achieve a peaceful and safer environment before the 2023 general elections, the DG said,”You can see the Navy, Civil Defence, Police, the National security office, all the relevant security agencies are here, we have the religious leaders, the traditional rulers whose role in the communities can not be over emphasized and under appreciated, so we have a very broad based partnership of collaborators, as partners with whom we shall be working together to achieve a common objective.”
On the demand by stakeholders for the introduction of drug abuse in schools as subject of study, Abari said that the decision is within the realm of those that are saddled with the responsibility to develop the school curriculum.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Muhammed, represented by Mrs Mercy Megwa, stressed the need for employment of a multi media approach for the objectives of the campaign to be achieved.
Lai Mohammed who urged opinion leaders and leaders of religious organizations to be involved in the campaign, stressed that all hands must be on deck for the said objectives to realized.
Speaking on the topic,”Impact of Vandalism on National Development: The Way Forward,” the Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Audi lamented that the nation is facing very critical challenges on pipeline vandalism.
According to him, the situation has become very worrisome as love and unity among citizens is fast fading out.
He decried the fact that different kinds of crime are being committed on daily basis, expressed optimism that the solution to the challenge must involve the communities.
Audi urged all the security agencies to come together to fight the quagmire or else the country will be in trouble.
Other participants at the occasion include, Former NOA Director, Dr David Manya Dogo, ,Former Coordinator “Operation Safe Corridor” General B.M Shafa, Director, Drug Reduction Director, NDLEA, Dr Ngozi Madubuike, CSOs, and Pharm. Luke Pants Baba, the Etsu Karu, New Karu Chiefdom, Nasarawa state, among others.
