By Bayo Sekoni
Security experts and other stakeholders have decried the level of insecurity in various parts of the country, urging the Federal Government and states to improve the security architecture and prosecute those arrested.
A survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osun, Ondo and Ekiti, shows that residents are still concerned about the prevailing security challenges in the country in spite of the recorded successes in different military operations by troops of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Air force, Navy and other paramilitary and security agencies.
The security experts and stakeholder said that though some level of success had been achieved, the present administration in the country and the security chiefs should re-strategise and combat insecurity to attract foreign investors and ensure food security.
In Osun, SP Yemisi Opalola, the Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, said that the state was relatively peaceful and has no banditry related security challenges.
Opalola said that though the state has its share of cases of crime, but banditry was not one of the challenges.
She said the issues of farmers/ herders clashes was nearly non existent in the state due to proactive measures taken by the government.
The PPRO said the state government had set up a committee to resolve farmers/herders clash which nips possible conflicts or incidents in the bud.
She said the police had been able to bring, to the barest minimum, security challenges and crimes in the state.
” Osun State is one of the most peaceful states in the country with records of little security challenges and these security issues were brought under control by the police.
“Insecurity has a lot of negative effects on the people of any society, as nothing can replace peace.
“It is better for a place to be peaceful than faced with security challenges, as there is no price or substitution for peace.” she said.
In Ondo State, Mr Adetunji Adeleye, the Commander of the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), said that the significant number of arrests made by the corps had reduced cases of farmers/herders clashes in the state by over 95 per cent in the last two years.
“Within two weeks of our inception, we received over 5,000 petitions of herders/farmers clashes. It was becoming impossible for farmers to go to their farms completely for fear of herders molesting, kidnapping, maiming or killing them.
“The enactment of the anti-open grazing law in the state was also of added advantage to us because it enhanced our position in enforcement and the terms of the law is clear,” he said.
Adeleye, who is also the Special Adviser to the Ondo State Governor on Security Matters, said that 7000 suspects were arrested by the WNSN tagged Amotekun Corps in the state in the past six years while 1500 were prosecuted with many convicted.
He said that the vision of the governors of the states in the South- West region had been realised with the tremendous success recorded by the network in combating crime.
According to him, the corps’ unconventional method of operations and with the cooperation of other security agencies, especially the Department of Security Services (DSS), the state was now one of the safest in the country.
“In response to the pockets of violence in border areas presently, the government has directed offices and control points in Imoru, Ijagba axis to take care of kidnapping and violence around Ose Local Government, some of which we’ve implemented.
“The same directive was given for Jugbere, which is to take care of Akure North, and we are proposing three other strategic ones, such that by the year’s end, all our porous border villages and towns will be adequately covered.
He further said that the command in Ondo state had commenced 24-hour patrol across the 18 local government areas of the state to ensure the security of lives and properties.
Adeleye said that the major challenge confronting the agency was inadequate weapons to match what criminals confront its operatives with.
“Some of the challenges we face as result of inadequate equipment has been loss of precious lives of some of our men, but we remain determined,” he said
In his words, the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state, Rev. Fr. Anselm Olorunfemi Ologunwa, said that the country should go back to the basics whereby the moral of humanity was sacrosanct and held in high esteem.
Ologunwa said that it was disheartening and sad that core values had been denigrated and abandoned for riches and fame.
He expressed regret that nearly all institutions in the country had failed in upholding standard, adding that parents and guardians had abandoned their roles as good mentors to their children and wards.
According to him, there is no fear of God and no more respect for human dignity.
The CAN Chairman also stated that uncontrolled and uncensored contents on social media devices had exacerbated criminal tendencies of the youths.
He, therefore, tasked government, families and other institutions to condemn all forms of violence and immoral behaviour that undermine human dignity.
Also, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, said that one of the major causes for the lingering insecurity in the country was unemployment among the youths.
Oba Ogunoye said that since most youths could not take care of their needs through meaningful endeavour, hence, they have resorted to criminal activities for survival.
“ Our youths want to survive by all means and there is high level of unemployment in the country. And when they take drugs, they don’t care and they can dbehaviours.
“The issue of peer pressure and youthful exuberance that can lead them to cultism and redirects their minds is there as a major factor as well.
“ The insecurity in Nigeria is multidimensional. In the northern part, there is high level of uneducated people and this makes many people there to be lured into religious fundamentalism and extremism while in the south here, it’s majorly caused by unemployment and drug abuse.
“ When somebody is on hard drug, he can do anything to sustain the habit including crime. We believe that President Bola Tinubu will address all of these challenges,” he stated.
Also, the police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ekiti have assured residents that with the sustained collaboration of other security agencies there was no hiding place for criminals in the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Mr Dare Ogundare and NSCDC Commandant in the state, Mr John Fayemi, respectively said that security agencies have been working assiduously to sustain the peace in the state.
The security chiefs, who spoke through their separate Public Relations Officers, Mr Tolulope Afolabi and DSP Sunday Abutu, respectively, said that their officers and men were at alert to forestall any security breach.
” We are working with stakeholders and other relevant security agencies to engage in constant bush combing operations.
“We have been doing that with other relevant security agencies including Amotekun, Vigilante, and the local hunters.
“We have also been engaging in visibility police patrol around all identified hot spots, the borders are being manned, and currently, our men from the mobile force have been deployed to the entry and exit points in the state, as part of strategies to ensure that criminality is brought to zero level or the barest minimum,” Ogundare said.
The newly appointed Amotekun Commandant in the state, Brig.-Gen. Ibukun Oku Adewa, promised to build on the giant strides of his predecessor in combating crime in the state.
” With God on our side, we will build on what our pioneer Commandant has done, and with the cooperation of all residents, we will forge ahead to rid Ekiti of criminal elements”, he said
Also, the Special Adviser to the governor on Security Matters, retired Brig.-Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana, said Ekiti was relatively safe, but had recorded some isolated cases of crime in some hot spots in the state.
The security expert said that incidents of kidnapping and other crimes in the state had been largely minimal, adding “the idea is to make sure that we respond quickly to it when we have isolated incidents.
” The incident with the APC chairman was an isolated one. The one or two incidents recorded on that route were imported from our neighbouring state.
“Our side here is safe, but they always pursue people to our state.
“For every action, there is always a reaction, so we have changed our tactics, we don’t want to say this place or that place is safe again, we are rejigging our plans to ensure that we meet up with the emerging situation. We are up to the task”, he said.
Also, the Ajoni Local Council Development Authority (LCDA) in the state said it had established a Security Trust Fund to spearhead a joint security operations that would combat crime in the axis.
Prince Michael Ogungbemi, Chairman of the Council who disclosed this, said palliative work had started on bad portions of roads in the area being used by criminals to perpetrate their nefarious activities.
NAN reports that banditry and kidnapping had in recent past, disrupted the peace of Ajoni area, which shares borders with Kwara state, with some victims either raped or abducted and millions of Naira collected as ransom.
“To further strengthen security and entrench enduring peace, the leadership of Ajoni LCDA was proactive enough to introduce operation EBBORAC joint security patrol, to combat bandits at the borders of rural Ajoni communities through surveillance, patrolling and intelligence gathering”, he said.
In his reaction to the security challenges in the country, Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State chapter, Mr Adebola Alagbada, said the incessant abduction and other attacks on farmers on their farmlands had discouraged people from farming, and that this may affect food production.
“If insecurity is not curtailed, it may discourage many people from farming, which may eventually lead to hunger in the state and country.”
The Chairman, Ikere, Emure, Ise/Orun Joint Security Committee, Tunji Falana, said that it was time for communities in the state to adopt a joint security model to curtail banditry.
He explained that the JSC model had been effective, and result oriented in communities where traditional rulers had collaborated with security and paramilitary agencies, including the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Army, Amotekun, NSCDC, Odua Peoples Congress and traditional hunters.
Falana, who spoke in Ikere Ekiti , headquarters of Ikere LGA, also advised the police boss to ensure an increase in the number of policemen and police equipment in the state.
Also, the Ekiti State chapter of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, said both state government and relevant stakeholders should increase efforts at ridding the environment of heinous crimes
The Co-chairmen, NIREC, Ekiti State Chapter, the Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Felix Ajakaye, and the Chief Imam of Ekiti State, Jamiu Kewulere, urged governments not to delay in prosecution of persons apprehended for crimes relating to kidnapping and bring them to justice so as to serve as deterrent to others.
They also called on religious bodies to complement the state government’s efforts at fighting crimes, by preaching messages to their congregations to shun criminal activities, and provide timely information to security agencies to expose criminals.
“State governments and local government authorities should prioritise security in their programmes.
“Federal, state, and LG authorities should further support and empower law enforcement agencies with required tools and equipment to prevent and fight crimes”, the NIREC co-chairmen said. (NAN)
