Community Policing, Panacea for Tackling Insurgency, Says APC Chieftain

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

A security expert and 2019 governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Kwara State, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Ajia, has said community policing remains a panacea for the insurgency in some parts of the country.

Ajia who is now a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stated this in Ilorin on the sidelines of his defection to the APC at his political ward of Magaji Ngeri, Ilorin West Local Government Area of the state.

Describing the community policing as one the most effective frameworks to tackling insecurity in the country, the APC chieftain said the adoption of community policing would help security agencies to harvest information among locals.

This, he said would go a long way for the security agencies to process the information and act accordingly against those people threatening the peace and development of the country.

The security expert urged Nigerians to regard bandits as enemies of the state, stressing that national interest and the wellbeing of citizens must take precedence over political and religious differences.

The APC cheiftain posited that the current security challenge confronting the country transcends a purely kinetic approach, saying that it requires the collective involvement of all Nigerians.

Ajia, however, explained that recent events in the country showed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was committed to addressing security challenge in the country headlong, particularly with the appointment of the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, as Minister of Defence.

He said the choice of the new minister was an indication that the country can’t afford to politicize insecurity.

“One of the major reasons that anchored our moving to APC is to support the government.

“Every patriotic Nigerian and every reasonable person today will have to come and support the government in fighting the insecurity.

“It is a reality, we have serious insecurity in this country. Kwara is having its own share.

“But some of us are saying the better approach to this is for all of us to come together and consider these elements as enemies of the state.

“With our background of security, knowledge of community policing some of us know my thesis for Doctor of Philosophy is Community Policing and National Security.

“So, some of the research we have carried out outside the practical experience I had while I was in the Police, we have reaffirmed and said the only way to tackle insecurity in Nigeria is for us to adopt the concept of community policing, and that is why we are now ready to work with the government of the day to create the awareness with the communities across Kwara State and Nigeria so that we can all see these elements as enemies of the state and not the enemies of any political parties.

“So, this is what led to our movement from the previous political party where we have parted with them on a very good note. I said to everybody, I had a wonderful time with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“But for me, it is now time for the sake of national interest, national well being and our people. Today, we are now in the APC,” he said.

According to him, unity among citizens is essential to overcoming insecurity.

Ajia cautioned against politicizing national security, warning that playing the opposition card on critical issues, particularly insecurity could undermine collective progress.

He urged the citizens to view Nigeria as a shared national project requiring cooperation and responsibility from all stakeholders.

Commenting on preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections, the APC chieftain confirmed that he had completed his formal registration with the party and described his defection as a symbolic move to support the re-election bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and to back the development agenda of Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

He added that several policies the federal government introduced were already beginning to yield positive outcomes, describing them as necessary reforms aimed at stabilizing the economy and steering the country away from collapse.

Ajia said they would mobilize across the nooks and crannies of the state for the re-election of President Tinubu for the country to move forward.