From Maiduguri
The Federal Government has inaugurated stakeholders’ engagement on internal security and conflict resolution,in its determination to bring an end to security challenges across the country.
The Director of Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Interior, Mr Mohammed Manga, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
He qouted the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola as disclosing this during the occasion in Maiduguri, with a call on Nigerians and the good people of Borno state in particular, to support the present administration in its efforts at exterminating insurgency in the country.
His speech was entitled “The People as the Cornerstone of Security.”
Aregbesola said that the summit was called to tap from the wealth of experience of the Kanem Borno Empire that made it to stand secured for 1,200 years, more than the Byzantine Empire or the Holy Roman Empire.
According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari and members of the Cabinet are greatly pained over the hardships Nigerians are going through on account of the security challenges in some parts of the country.
The minister said that the Federal Government was determined to do whatever was necessary to bring an end to the activities of the insurgents and other criminal elements in the country.
He, however, quoted the President as saying, “Enough is enough.”
Aregbesola, who said that Federal Government had since renewed its stand to do whatever was necessary to stamp out insecurity in the country, assured that the challenges were surmountable.
He said:“Some nations have faced them before and have come out victorious. We are going to do the same and nothing is going to stop us.
“But to be able to win, we need the support of the people. We must understand that the defence and security architectural complex is a pyramid.
“Sitting on the top is the military, followed by the police, next are the other security agencies and at the base, carrying and supporting the complex are the people who are the security-agency-at-large.”
The minister noted that in every secured nation, especially the developed ones, security was contingent on the information supplied by the citizens,their cooperation with security agencies, acting in the best interest of their nation.
Aregbesola, who commended the security agencies for their doggedness in the fight against crime and criminality in the country, called on them to see the people as important to achieving successes.
He noted that people were the essence of a nation and not just a territorial space, and thus, constitutes the singular most important basis of all the institutions of state.
“Any security agency operating within a national space that disregards the support of the people is simply doomed in its mission of defence and security.
“I am of the firm opinion that if the security agencies have the trust and support of these people, the terrorists and those constituting threat to life and property in the country will not be anonymous.
“They would have been handed over by now. The insurgents and other criminals who are disturbing us, are not ghosts but humans, nevertheless, they are a tiny minority.
“They can never withstand a united and determined people who take their security seriously.”
Aregbesola who acknowledged that formidable military might and cutting-edge technology were necessary in the fight against crime and criminality observed that without the support of the people, they might be ineffective.
He sais that the Federal Government needed the support of the people in confronting a mobile, flexible and fluid insurgents hiding among the people.
In his contribution, the Governor of the state, Prof. Babagana Zulum, assured that the state government and its people would continue to support the efforts of the Federal Government in its determination to ensuring the restoration of peace/security in Borno.
Zulum commended President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration for liberating a substantial part of the state and the North-East from the grip of the insurgents.
He recalled that some time ago, 23 of the 27 local government areas of the state were under the firm control of the insurgents but noted that for the efforts of Federal Government, the situation had been reversed.
Also, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai, pledged the support of the traditional rulers to the Federal Government, in its efforts toward finding lasting peace and security in all parts of the country.
The event was also attended by the Ministers of Defence, Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi, Police Affairs Minister, Mohammed Dingyadi, Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Chairman, Senate Committee on Interior and his counterpart in the House of Representatives.
Also in attendance were: the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, Controller-General, Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Ahmed Ja’faru, Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mohammad Babandede.
Others were: Controller-General, Federal Fire Service (FFS) Dr Liman Ibrahim, Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), Muhammadu Gana Abdullahi, traditional rulers, and other relevant stakeholders on matters of internal security.
