President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Thursday in Abuja called for concerted efforts toward addressing insecurity challenges confronting the country.
Saraki made the call at the opening of a two-day Security Summit organised by the Senate Ad hoc Committee on Review of Current Security Infrastructure in Nigeria.
He described the attacks and reprisals in parts of the country as “intolerable cycle of hell that must be broken.”
According to him, the killings, kidnappings, mayhem and general lawlessness are not normal. We must therefore take this country back and restore order.
Saraki decried a situation where people, who should be neighbours, were turning against one another and taking up arms.
He noted that the summit, which was organised in the face of escalating threats to the peace and security of the country, was a forum to share ideas and map out strategies to see the country out of its current predicament.
“The coming together of the executive and legislative arms of government for the discussion about security is a pointer to the seriousness of the situation and our determination to tackle the problem.
“To the executive, I say this: you cannot do it alone; that is why we are all here to join efforts.
“It is all hands on deck. No one person, organisation or arm of government can single-handedly tackle the hydra-headed monster of insecurity,” Saraki said.
He said that the Constitution made it clear that the safety of lives and property of citizens was the responsibility of government
“And as such, government must therefore do everything to ensure that Nigerians are safe from harm,’’ he added.
He emphasized the need for political will to tackle the security challenges in the country.
“It is my hope that we shall marshal it as a legitimate instrument against this problem. Indeed, there is no reason why that should not be the case.
“This is not a summit to trade blames; in no way is it a blame-game. Neither is it convened so that any person or entity can take credit.
“We just want solutions, solutions only. That is all Nigerians require of us,’’ Saraki said.
In his welcome address, Chairman of the committee, Sen. Ahmed Lawan, described the event as one that “seeks to contribute and search for answers to security challenges facing the country’’.
“As it is known, it will soon be said that the Federal Government has kept emerging security threats bedevilling the nation for a number of years now under very close scrutiny through its legislative and oversight powers.
“The upper chamber has carried out numerous attempts to deepen an understanding of security challenges, capacities of security systems, law and order as well as concerns of communities over threat to lives, livelihood and our economy.
“The ad hoc committee is the product of genuine attempts at addressing concerns over the state of our nation’s security.
“Moves to review the current security infrastructure in the country are a bold effort to appreciate the strength and weaknesses of foundation of our national security,’’ he said.
Service chiefs, traditional and religious leaders as well as civil society organisations attended the summit. (NAN)