Nigerians have yet to see the end of the first month of 2024 but the insecurity challenges that they have experienced is almost like it’s been a year. From the unfortunate incident of the killing of Nabeeha to the spate of kidnapping in Abuja FCT to the terrorist crisis on the Plateau and other security issues in the 36 states of the country, men and officers of various security agencies are overstretched and overworked.
‘It is time to employ a multi-pronged approach to insecurity in 2024’ says the National President of the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), Comrade Oki Samson in his 2024 Security Policy Statement on Nigeria. He charged the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Pres. Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to have ‘hands-on management of the security matters as criminals are becoming emboldened.’
Oki told the President, ‘Sir, you need to be decisive and demonstrate it fiercely. As your administration is growing in age, criminals have started to assume that you do not have any special intervention against them. They are beginning to see it as business as usual. If there are no stringent actions before May, 2024, it might become harder to handle the spate of crimes within our borders.’
He then asked President Tinubu to among other things, ‘immediately give a definitive order with a clear, specified time frame to the two (2) Ministers of Defence, the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff with the 3 Service Chiefs, and the Inspector-General of Police to deal with each security challenge failing which they will be shown the way out. Further, you are a proponent of true federalism, it is time for you to pursue it to a good conclusion the matter of State Police inserted into our Constitution. The role of traditional rulers in the security architecture should be enshrined in the Nigeria Constitution because the traditional leaders know the terrain of their communities more than any well trained and deployed security personnel.’
The Head of the security news beat association, NAOSNP, Oki Samson then reeled out some practical suggestions and immediate actions that may help to tackle insecurity to State Governors. ‘Dear Governors, though you don’t have executive power over the Nigeria Police but it is within your powers to engage youths in vocational and creative economy. Majority of the insecurity challenges we have is because youths are not productively engaged.’
‘The millions of youths under your administration need to be engaged productively in arts, entertainment, sports, and entrepreneurship. Build mini-stadiums across local councils for youths to deploy their energy into sports and recreation. Build technical and vocational centres where business and entrepreneurship as well as practical, sellable skills can be introduced to youths. Give them soft loans or grants for them to start their MSME businesses immediately after graduation.’
To the heads of various security agencies, Oki urged interagency synergy and collaboration. ‘I do not know why we cannot have joint security training programs for junior officers of Army, Police, NSCDC, NDLEA, Immigration, etc. just as senior officers do attend courses together. This kind of joint junior training (JJT) will promote camaraderie and collaborative effort as well as douse the feeling of fear, rancour, and superiority complex among junior officers of various agencies. Some bad habits which have been considered normal within some agencies will be gradually corrected when officers see that it is not applicable in other agencies. It will lead to enforcement of discipline among the rank and file of our security agencies.’
‘Also, troops in the theatres of operation across Nigeria need to be adequately encouraged, remunerated, and motivated while the families and dependents of fallen heroes be well supported. The use of technology in the fight against insecurity has become an imperative as our security officers have been overstretched.’
‘Welfare schemes such as home ownership for serving and fallen heroes and their families should become a must-have policy in different agencies. The insurance scheme of the Nigeria Police which is currently been executed should be encouraged among other security agencies.’
In conclusion, Oki Samson who is also the Publisher of Trek Africa Newspaper noted that political will is required. ‘No financier, promoter, abetter and perpetrator of crime and criminality in Nigeria should be spared. When they are caught, the law should come down heavy on them irrespective of their tribe, gender, religion, or social status.’