The Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, says the Federal Government cares about the security of every Nigerian and will do everything possible to sustain it.
The minister said this when he paid a courtesy visit to Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, the Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on Tuesday in Abuja.
The minister said that the purpose of his visit was to seek a synergy between his ministry and the ICPC, saying that collaborating with anti- corruption agencies would enhance security situation in the country.
According to him, the marriage between the ministry and this agency has a lot to do with the actualisation of the the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of the present administration.
“We must understand that it has a lot to do. Nigerians care about their security. Nigerians do care about their lives. And this government cares about every Nigerian.
“As I always say. I will not come out to say we succeeded until a child in Kaura-Namoda, a child in Damboa or a child in Sagbama, will have the confidence to go to school as a child in Abuja.
“It is only then that we can say we have been able to protect our most critical assets, the children of this country,” he said.
According to him, in achieving this, it can only be done when resources, both financial and human, that are needed for the actualisation of this get to where they need to get to.
“And, also in terms of our security, we cannot have a secured nation until our borders are saved.
“Only then can we win the war against terrorism. This can only be done when resources meant for the protection of our borders is used for that same purpose.
“Not until the inmates in our correctional centers can dream of a better life outside of the four walls of the correctional centers.
“Not until our correctional centers become transformative agencies and our correctional centers become where dreams can be actualised,” he said.
According to him, it is only then can we say we have been able to solve the problem and will give hope to the most vulnerable in our society.
“And, of course, not until the fire service can respond. Not just to fire incidents but to rescue services.
“It is only then that we will know that lives really matter in Nigeria. All these can be actualized only when we learn to do things the right way.
“I’m here to plead that I’m here to solicit for your support, for your collaboration in terms of the strategy on how prevention will be our watch world. Not just detection, not just correction.
“Collectively, I believe we can build a strong institution. I believe we can build a country that will be good enough for our generations. My generation is your generation,” he said.
In his remarks, the ICPC chairman lauded the minister for his visit, saying that it would further strengthen the existing relationship between them.
Musa said that the ministry and ICPC through collaboration could address the problem of corruption confronting the nation.
He said that the ICPC would collaborate with the ministry in decongesting the custodial facilities through the non-custodial sentencing.
“I have very keen interest about the issue of correctional service, because whether we like it or not, the world is changing the issue of custodial sentencing.
“It has now become an old fashion and non-custodial sentencing is an area whereby it is key because it will decongest custodial facilities.
“I think ICPC and the ministry can partner in terms of issue of awareness. we can collaborate to take the issue of fight against corruption inside the custodial communities.
“So that we talk to people there whenever they are out, they will come up with their perspective that some of the challenges that took them to that place they need to correct. They need to do certain things that will help the country,” he said.
He said that the commission would also collaborate with the ministry in tracking the constituency project through the NSCDC.
“As a former member of National Assembly in the area of constituency, executive project tracking, this is an area which I feel the civil defense too can be of help to us.
“Because there are abandoned projects, which we will ensure that those who abandoned them would come back and execute, there are many missing. We will ensure that we recover them.
“So that Nigerians will have confidence that the public servants or the public officials are discharging their duties, so that Nigerians will have the dividend of democracy.
”Also, all the projects that they are supposed to get, they get it in the exact manner it was designed, so that we will build our infrastructure and that will make our environment to be conducive for investment,” he said.(NAN)
By Isaac Aregbesola
