The Emir of Birnin Gwari, Malam Zubair Jibril has observed that State Police remained the best way out of the country’s security challenges, even as a cross section of Nigerians have called for an improved security in Nigeria.
In the same vein, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called for the redeployment of the 10,000 policemen who keep watch over banks as well as those attached to Very Important Personnel (VIPs) to more vulnerable spots for adequate protection of lives and property of the citizens.
These positions were expressed by various speakers at the maiden edition of the Blueprint Annual Impact Series/Awards, held in Abuja Wednesday.
The event, themed; “Tolerance, Unity and Security: Building A Legacy for National Development,” drew a sizeable number of prominent Nigerians, including the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe state, representatives of both the Kano and Yobe state governors, Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, elder statesman and patron, Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, Alhaji, Isa Funtua and the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar among others.
“Why are the Nigeria police protecting the banks, why should the banks not improve their own security, draft them to the Nigeria police, equip and project them to secure their banks? “But the policemen are in banks and some of them lobby to be there.
“They are also being sent to highly-placed Nigerians. Instead, they should be sent to where there are security challenges to protect Nigerians,” CAN stated.
One of the award recipients and governor of Gombe state, Alhaji Dankwambo said the provision of adequate security for the country required collaboration.
He observed that improved security would be absent without inclusive governance, where all agencies of government work harmoniously to secure the nation.
Jibril, in his keynote address, ‘Why Nigeria needs State Police’, identified weak judicial system, culture of impunity and the confused system of governance among others, as being responsible for the present state of insecurity in the country.
He posited that injustice, nepotism, bribery and corruption, religious intolerance, political instability, as well as unemployment, had cost the nation a great deal overtime.
“Insecurity with all its attendant allies has ravaged the country considerably. Armed robbery, armed banditry, Boko Haram terrorism, Niger Delta militancy, cattle rustling, ethno-religious crises, and others have for a long time thwarted an optimal development in Nigeria,” Jibril stated.
He said Nigeria must borrow a leaf from both the advanced democracies and many developing countries that deployed the services of state and community police to their advantage.
“We must not continue to manipulate issues of national importance in favour of our political inclination. I therefore see this as a timely necessity. It is the only hope left for us to curb rising cases of insecurity in our localities,” he further said.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Malam Garba Shehu, who spoke at the sideline of the event, said President Muhammadu Buhari had taken up the security challenges “competently and comprehensively.” Garba added: “President Buhari’s administration has taken up the challenge as competently as anybody can do.
He is training, he is hiring, he is buying and equipping our armed forces and now they are up to the task.
“The Boko Haram terrorism in the North-east of the country has been dismantled and what is left is just to clean up whatever are the fallouts.
So, therefore, we are doing well.
At some point; Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba and Plateau were the hot spots of banditry, and you will admit that calm has gradually returned to these places and Zamfara is in focus now.
“A lot is going on, more police; army and air force establishments are being set up.
And the place is being swamped by infusion of addition security men, weaponised people and all of that, this too will also be defeated.” He observed that efforts were on to bring stakeholders in the business of securing the nation as pre-condition for an economically stable and peaceful nation.
Earlier in his opening address, Alhaji Funtua, enjoined media owners on professionalism, saying that it’s the only way any newspaper, whether online or print can survive.
Also in his welcome remark, Chief Executive Officer, Blueprint Newspapers, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, called on the media to continue to champion national discourse and provide platforms for exchange of views among all stakeholders.
“It is imperative that the media also recognises its role, not just in reporting but in objective criticism and celebration of achievements,” Idris added.
The awardees A major highlight of the event was the conferment of awards on some notable individuals.
Governor Dankwambo received the award of the most Outstanding Governor, his Kano state counterpart, represented by the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ibrahim Mukhtar, bagged the Distinguished Fiscal Policy Champion Award, while the Minister of Transport, Mr.
Rotimi Amaechi, was conferred with the Most Distinguished Achiever in Transport Infrastructure.
Also recognised were Senator Shehu Sani, who was bestowed with Distinguished Public Advocacy Champion, while the Chief of Army Staff; Lt.-General Tukur Buratai got the Distinguished Security Champion Award, Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Barrister Abdullahi Mukhtar, who was conferred with Public Service Champion Award, and the CBN governor, among several others.
