By Sumaila Ogbaje
Some security experts and stakeholders have urged the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies to sustain the current onslaught against terrorists and criminals across the country.
The stakeholders, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja also urged the security agencies to avoid any lapses that could impede on their current success story.
Mr Abdullahi Jabi, the Secretary-General, International Institute of Professional Security (IIPS), said the current operational tempo was an indication that clear-cut directives had been given to them to act.
Jabi said that before now, clear-cut direction for decisive action against the criminals was not given by the president until recently.
According to him, factors like conspiracy of international community to refuse to give Nigeria the cooperation to procure arms, armament and equipment in the past contributed to escalation of insecurity.
He also identified corruption and diversion of resources meant for men and officers of the military on the battle fields to motivate as well as equip them was equally at the lower ebb.
The security expert said the president had come hard on the service chiefs to go all against the criminals leading to commendable results in the last three weeks.
“However, it is not a good story at this moment that we have lost a lot of Nigerians to insecurity as a result of kidnapping, homicide cases, banditry and other related causes.
“I know that the Federal Government has been doing its best in the last seven years now to see to the end of the challenges.
“It is not yielding results because there is a disconnect between the management team and the coordination processes among inter-agencies in security sector.
“But to God be the glory that frantic efforts are being made now.’’
According to him, there is wider consciousness on the part of the citizens to give bite to these security problems because it is a general problem and the citizens must be involved.
“We have seen the number of success stories in the battlefields and must give kudos to officers and men of the armed forces that are doing this magic now.
“We wish them well and we pray for them to succeed so that we can have a stable country to call our own,’’ he said.
Maj. Daniel Banjo, retired, told NAN that the military and the police were capable both in equipment, training and skills to confront the security challenges.
Banjo said the problems had been that the government and the people were getting used to abnormality and becoming more inclined toward criminality.
He said the current security challenges in the country had lingered for almost 20 years especially, the insurgency in the North East.
Banjo urged the military to train more personnel to be skillful in the special forces operation to smoke out the criminals from their hide outs.
He said that given the fact that the military was currently engaged in unconventional option, there was the need for detachment of special operators.
According to him, 11 men in a detachment of special operations will be capable of destroying the camp of even 3,000 terrorists.
“Mr President has directed the men to move into some forests areas and they are doing well now.
Dr Martins Idachaba, a Senior Lecturer, Department of Law, Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba, said that synergy among security agencies was key to tackling insecurity.
Idachaba, who commended the recent successes being recorded in nabbing terrorists and their collaborators, said that more would be achieved if the agencies strengthened their synergy.
According to him, the security agencies need to collaborate and share information that will help to fast-track or enhance crime prevention.
He also called for cooperation of the citizens given the fact that security was everybody’s business even though they were saddled with the responsibility of providing security.
Idachaba said that the populace who were usually at the receiving end ought to help the security agencies with useful information and be security conscious.
“What I mean by security consciousness is that one needs to be able to look at his back, not being lackadaisical but must be deliberate about it.
“I advise that the populace should be quick in making whatever information at their disposal to the security agencies.
“The aspect of community policing is very key because those who perpetrate the acts of criminality live within the society,’’ he said.
According to him, even the traditional rulers have key roles to play in that regard because they know the bad ones among them.
Idachaba also urged traditional rulers to adopt a system of profiling strangers who move into their towns and communities with a view to tracking and preventing crimes. (NAN)
