From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, has urged stakeholders in the North-West geopolitical zone of the country to join hands to tackle security challenges in the region.
Speaking at a three-day stakeholders’ engagement on general security challenges in Nigeria, organised by his office and held in Kaduna on Thursday, with the theme “Development of modern strategies to curb the security challenges in the North-West geopolitical zone”, Akume expressed confidence that at the end of the workshop, participants will be encouraged to enlighten other members of their respective communities on the significance of collective efforts in fighting crime and criminality.
Akume, who was represented by the Director, Special Services Office of the SGF, Tukur Yahaya, assured that the security challenges are surmountable, adding that the government is fully committed to guaranteeing the safety of lives and property in the country.
He said that the workshop was part of the strategies adopted by the federal government to curb security challenges in the North-West zone and the country in general.
“Consequently, there is an urgent need for all hands to be on deck in order to face the security challenges with a view to reducing crimes and criminality to the barest minimum.
“In this regard, I would like to remind the participants of the need to brainstorm and come up with a workable framework that would provide additional support to our gallant soldiers and security personnel to conclusively bring the menace of security challenges, especially in the North-West geopolitical zone in particular and the country in general, to an end.
“I wish to express our sincere gratitude to the government and good people of Kaduna State for hosting this important event and the conducive atmosphere provided for the success of the programme. In the same vein, I appreciate the governments of other states in the North-West geopolitical zone for mobilising stakeholders to attend this programme.
“As you are all aware, Nigeria is facing security challenges, leading to loss of lives, displacement of people, as well as destruction of property worth billions of naira across the country. These challenges are surmountable as the government is fully committed to guaranteeing the safety of lives and property. Recent successes achieved by our security personnel are a clear manifestation of the determination of the government to defeat the bandits.
“It is in this regard that the present administration, under the able leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has accorded the security sector the top priority attention it deserves. The federal government, in collaboration with state governments, has been working assiduously to curb the security challenges across the length and breadth of the country.
“The ongoing efforts to tackle the activities of armed bandits throughout the North-West and North-Central geopolitical zones by Operation HADARIN DAJI (OPHD) are yielding fruitful results, with several banditry kingpins neutralised.
“However, the escalation of the farmer-herder conflicts constitutes a potent threat to the lives and property of the citizenry. Many innocent lives have been lost to the protracted clashes between the two groups. The recent attacks and killings and destruction of property in Benue and Plateau States are worth mentioning because of their content and magnitude.
“Let me use this medium to commend the efforts of state governors in addressing the security challenges at sub-national levels, including their ingenuity in establishing Community Security Watch that is working in collaboration with conventional security agencies to thwart efforts by criminal elements to hold the country to ransom.
“The peace model adopted by the Kaduna State government to engage the bandits for dialogue is yielding results. Today, people of Birnin Gwari and environs can freely go to their farmlands without fear of attack or abduction. This development is commendable and worthy of emulation by other states in the zone.
“It is on this premise that my office is organising a three-day stakeholders’ engagement on general security challenges in Nigeria, with the theme ‘Development of modern strategies to curb the security challenges in the North-West geopolitical zone.’
“The programme is aimed at achieving the following objectives: to avail the government the opportunity to inform the people of the zone of its efforts, challenges, and achievements in addressing security breaches in the zone; to establish a common ground for government security agencies to work in synergy with the state-owned Community Volunteer Watch organisations to further decimate the lingering crimes and criminality in the zone; to create a forum to constantly review the security challenges with corresponding recommendations with a view to maintaining the trust and confidence between the government at the sub-national level and the communities; to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas to address the challenges associated with the operations of non-state community-based security outfits in the zone.
“I am very confident that at the end of the workshop, participants will be encouraged to enlighten other members of their respective communities on the significance of collective efforts in fighting crime and criminality and to take advantage of this platform for sharing credible information among the stakeholders for enhanced security.
“I have the honour to welcome all invited guests and participants to this very important stakeholders’ engagement with the theme ‘Development of modern strategies to curb the security challenges in the North-West geopolitical zone’ held in Kaduna, Kaduna State, ‘Centre of Learning’,” Akume said.
Declaring the workshop open, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, represented by his Deputy, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, said, “It gives me much pleasure and a sense of responsibility to welcome you to this meeting on insecurity in the North-West. This gathering, organised by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, underscores the commitment of the federal government to tackle insecurity in the zone. This gathering that involves traditional rulers, civil society organisations, and security agencies is timely and crucial.”
