During his Democracy Day broadcast, PMB paid particular attention to the issue of security and also assured Nigerians on public safety and freedom of movement. However, some analysts believe the insecurity issue is yet to be resolved, with daily loss of lives and property. To you, how can internal security be improved in Nigeria, to spur development?
ABIMBOLA AKOSILE
* Internal security can only improve if security is devolved. There is need to establish state police under the supervision of central police. This is in line with international standard.
– Mr. Austine Nwanya, solid mineral consultant, Abuja
* The issues of the number of arms from Iran seized at Apapa in Lagos, large cache of ammunition too in Ogun state were trivialised. Horrible Offa robbery, Bamidele shot in Ekiti recently, killer herdsmen, pockets of illegal arms abuses e.t.c show sabotage. What becomes of 2019 elections with these sophisticated arms, over 63 million idle youths, e.t.c everywhere? We must remove all illegal arms in public domains, and relevant laws must also be strictly enforced now!
– Mr. Apeji Onesi, Lagos State
* Unfortunately, the relative success recorded with the fight against insurgency pales into insignificance with the activities of killer herdsmen and other violent crimes across the country. To arrest the ugly trend, the intelligence gathering arms of our security agencies should be strengthened. Finally, PMB should muster political will to curtail the activities of herdsmen currently terrorising Nigerians.
– Mr. Paul Jideofor, Dept. of Languages, FCT COE, Zuba, Abuja
* The world over, Nigerian security forces have been held in high regard, but internal security has been polluted by corruption. For it to be improved, the conditions of the Police must be improved with proper pay package, while they are made to take oaths of honest service without bias and selfishness. State Police is necessary for this need.
– Hon. Babale Maiungwa, U/Romi, Kaduna State
* Well thought-out strategy, starting with honest discussion on what has not worked, why and what needs to be done. People must be committed at all levels of governance. There must be willingness to own up when things are not working and to go back to the drawing table. Finally people must stop playing politics with issues of security. There must be enlightenment, sensitisation, and motivation, with something for everyone.
– Mrs. Augusta Akparanta-Emenogu, Abuja
* We must return to regional autonomy. People have complained of corruption against some Ministers, Senators e.t.c, to no avail. We are all aware peasant farmers, students, e.t.c, cannot afford AK47. Who are the sponsors? Restructuring the country is the only solution to rapid development.
– Mr. Dogo Stephen, Kaduna State
* It can be improved through the involvement of traditional rulers because they know who come in and out of their domains.
– Mr. Bello Shuni, Vice president Dynamics Youth Organisation of Nigeria (DYON) Northwest chapter, Shuni, Sokoto State
* The success of some local Vigilante groups foreshadows the likely benefits of State Police in internal security especially if backed with adequate laws to check abuse by politicians, including State Governors. Police must be well paid, properly quipped, and trained in modern community policing. Also, technology such as Close Circuit Television and drones should be deployed liberally.
– Mrs. Ada Agina-Ude, Lagos State
* Internal security can only improve, if the security chiefs believe that once they are not performing optimally they risk being changed. Let someone be held responsible for the security breaches and prosecuted.
– Mr. Onwuegbuchi Osondu, Gwagwalada, Abuja
* Internal security can be improved by government making security everybody’s business, by making the welfare of the people top priority, by providing jobs for unemployed youths to keep them busy, by proper funding, training and equipping the security agents to handle security challenges with ease. We all need to give government all the necessary support to stem the security situation. We should all desire a peaceful, progressive, prosperous country that is safe and secure. God bless Nigeria.
– Mr. Odey Ochicha, Leadership Specialist, Abuja
* Our clergymen, clerics, parents, neighbours, friends, peers, teachers, elders, various NGOs, various leaders etc must step up and add value to quality of our societal morale, norms and values. We must improve on employment, poverty, cost of living, corruption, electricity, food, health etc to stem crime. We must police the borders against arm peddlers. Stop and search rule must be invigorated before, during and after 2019 elections to mop up all illegal arms in circulation now.
– Miss Apeji Patience Eneyeme, Badagry, Lagos State
* Government must set up national commission of security that is apolitical and more so, ensuring the policemen on the street undergo training on modern security that is ICT-compliant. Government should invest on intelligence gathering while the approach of directing security from the centre must also stop. Creation of state police should be encouraged to stand. By inculcating those attributes, internal security will improve and crime index will reduce.
– Mr. Mark Ushie, Transcorp Hilton, Abuja
* Nigerians should not leave security matter alone for government to handle; instead all hands must be on deck.to fight insecurity for the interest of Nigeria. With insecurity there will no meaningful development.
– Mr. Gordon Chika Nnorom, Public Commentator, Umukabia, Abia State
* Security issues can be resolved only when the rule of law is strictly adhered to and enforced to a much higher level. The criminal justice system, as well as the judiciary, need to be sanitised in order for that to take place. A form of community policing such as an unarmed civilian JTF would help, with training in intelligence gathering, sentry duties, self-defense tactics and early warning systems, so communities are not caught unawares.
– Mr. Buga Dunj, Jos, Plateau State
* If citizens are assured of leadership integrity, there would be more security consciousness and authentic information sharing without any fear of threat or harm across all levels of governance. Also, there is urgent need to equip, empower and protect our security operatives to do their jobs well.
– Ms. Nkeiruka Abanna, Lagos State
* The present administration should discard old ideas of solving the insecurity challenges by using new, innovative, strategies and diplomacy to enforce security, empowering the security forces, constant change of service chiefs, empowering the citizens e.t.c. They also need information gathering on the territories by introducing community policing, reducing transitional causes of insecurity, and understanding the national security choices.
– Mr. Michael Adedotun Oke, Founder Michael Adedotun Foundation, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja
* Community policing and eventually State Police will help improve internal security. But care must be taken not to convert such forces into ethnic militias. That would be a quick way to anarchy and disaster for Nigeria.
– Mr. Olumuyiwa Olorunsomo, Lagos State
THE RESPONSE
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Top tip: Community policing
Second: Improved intelligence gathering
Third: Better conditions for Police nationwide
Radical: Restructure Nigeria!
Total no of respondents: 17
Male: 13
Female: 4
Highest location: Abuja (7)
Next Week: Can Youths Truly Revamp Nigeria?
The passage of the Not-too young to run Bill into law by PMB was hailed as a laudable decision, where the ages for contesting for political offices were lowered to allow more youths into public office. However, some analysts believe youths are also part of the rot in the system and may even become worse leaders. To you, can youths truly revamp this country’s development and governance process? If yes, how?
Please make your response direct, short and simple, and state your full name, title, organisation, and location. Responses should be sent between today (June 7 & Monday, June 11) to abimbolayi@yahoo.com, greatbimbo@gmail.com, AND abimbola.akosile@thisdaylive.com. Respondents can also send a short text message to 08023117639 and/or 08188361766 and/or 08114495306. Collated responses will be published on Thursday, June 14
