I am honoured and privileged to join you today on the occasion of a Two-Day Colloquium on the theme “Renewed Efforts to Curb Insurgency and Spate of Insecurity in Nigeria” taking place here, at the Sultan Maccido Institute for Peace, Leadership and Development Studies, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
I commend the organizers of this auspicious event for conceiving and staging this occasion at this crucial me when our collective efforts need to be coordinated and new strategies evolved in order to stem the tide of insurgency and spate of insecurity in the country. I, particularly note the focus of the Institute on Nasarawa State aimed at drawing experience from our effort at curbing the security menace.
Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, as you are already aware, Nigeria prior to the advent of the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari witnessed monumental security challenges, insurgency and other threats to national security. The coming on board of the present Administration has no doubt significantly degraded the activities of Boko Haram and sundry insurgent onslaught.
However, the recent resurgence of attacks on soil targets and security formations by the dreaded Boko Haram in the North-Eastern part of the country, kidnapping and the activities of bandits in some parts of the North-West entails the imperative necessity to restrategies towards combating these security challenges.
The coming on board of the present Administration has no doubt significantly degraded the activities of Boko Haram and sundry insurgent onslaught.
It is, therefore, my belief that this colloquium offers ample opportunity for exchange of ideas and experience sharing on modern trends of security challenges capable of heightening the already tensed security situation in the country. It is my hope that, this forum will provide the needed platform for participants to further appraise the current security situation in the country and proffer workable solutions that will assist in entrenching a high-tech security system that will promote an sustain peace, stability and harmonious coexistence for socio-economic development of our dear country.
Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, in an occasion Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, in an occasion like this, we must share our experience of how it has been in Nasarawa State. Let me quickly say that our Administration is barely one month ad selling down to confront the challenges of leadership towards the sustainability of development strides in the State.
You will recall that Nasarawa State witnessed criminal insurgences of an outlawed Ethnic Milia code named “Ombatse” between 2012 to 2014. The height of the activities of this militia group was the gruesome killing of scores of security personnel at Alakyo village on 7th May, 2012 comprising of Sixty-four (64) personnel of the Nigeria Police and Ten (10) men of the Department of State Service, among other atrocities of the group. The State Government and security agencies collaborated and stem the crises. Government also constituted a High-powered Judicial Commission of Inquiry and the white paper on the report of the Commission is being implemented. But, let me say that communities ravaged by the crisis have been rehabilitated and displaced persons returned homes. Normalcy and economic activities have since been reignited in the affected pats of the State.
Let me also state that, the State witnessed existential challenges, occasioned by the spill-over of the headmen/farmers crisis in the neighbouring Benue State, especially with the introduction and subsequent implementation of the Anti-open Grazing Law in November, 2017. As a consequence, Nasarawa State had to contend with the influx of people displaced from the crises areas, including herdsmen and Tiv farmers with their families and cattle into the State. The Tiv farmers were camped in about twenty (20) Internally Displaced persons (IDPs) camps at our border communities with Benue State leading to overstretching of the existing facilities in addition to the provision of food items and medical services at the IDPs camps. The State had to also create security bases to cater for security challenges in the affected border communities. These security bases are still being maintained and sustained by the State Government at huge costs to the State.
let me say that communities ravaged by the crisis have been rehabilitated and displaced persons returned homes. Normalcy and economic activities have since been reignited in the affected pats of the State.
Nigeria prior to the advent of the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari witnessed monumental security challenges, insurgency and other threats to national security.
This situation caused psychological trauma and disrupted economic activities of our people at the time. The prompt response of the federal Government which deployed security personnel greatly enhanced the restoration of normalcy and maintenance of law and order. The visit by His Excellency, the Vice President, federal republic of Nigeria further consolidated the efforts of our security agencies and the Nasarawa State Government in bringing the situation under control.
I must also note the visits to Nasarawa State by the then Inspector-general of Police, Ibrahim K. Idris; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Burutai, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar in line with Presidential directive further enhanced synergy, effective intelligence gathering and surveillance towards curbing crime and criminalities in our border communities and elimination of perpetrators of heinous activities in the State. Similarly, the operations of Operation WHIRL STROKE with headquarters in Makurdi, Benue State and Bases in some locations in the State to mitigate farmers/herders clash and other criminal activities has greatly contributed in our collective efforts towards sustainable peace in our border communities.
Let me also state that, while the Nasarawa State Government, in collaboration with other stakeholders, found lasting solution to the lingering Egbura and Bassa crisis in Toto Local Government Area of the State. Unfortunately, this crisis was reignited as a result of spillover effect of crisis between the same ethnic groups from kogi state. Government and relevant security agencies are working with critical stakeholders from the affected ethnic groups on the side of Nasarawa State towards restoring peace and harmonious co-existence, not only among the two (2) ethnic groups, but other nationalities in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State and by extension, border communities of Nasarawa and kogi States.
It is pertinent to note that, in our efforts towards ensuring sustainable peace in the State, the Nasarawa State Government initiated the Community Based
Conflict Resolution Mechanism whereby warring parties are encouraged to come together, discuss their differences and resolve them amicably without the interference of a third party. In this regard, commitiees have been established at the State, Local Government, District and Village levels. We found this initiative workable and has greatly facilitated and resolution of disputes amongst communities as they occur in any area or part of the State.
Let me take liberty of this occasion to commend the federal Government for supporting the state during its most trying times, in this regard, we appreciate the sitting of the 123 battalion of the Nigerian Army in Doma Local Government; in addional Squadron of the mobile police Barracks and Air Force Base in Lafia the State Capital. The Nasarawa State Government has reciprocated these gestures of the Federal Government
by supporting our security agencies in the State with operational vehicles, office accommodation and other logistics support to enhance their performance in the State.
Your Excellencies, distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen, considering the imperative of security, when we came on board, we prioritise and placed special emphasis on the security of Nasarawa State.
Let me take liberty of this occasion to commend the federal Government for supporting the state during its most trying times, in this regard, we appreciate the sitting of the 123 battalion of the Nigerian Army in Doma Local Government; in additional Squadron of the mobile police Barracks and Air Force Base in Lafia the State Capital.
This was based on our appraisal of the generalrecurrent security breaches in some parts of the State which has undermined the progress of the State in many respects.
We note specially that security and peace constitute the fulcrum for socio-economic development. In addition to collaborating with security agencies towards the creation of lasting peace and stability n the society, we have decided to focus attention on the elimination of idleness, low level education of our people, misinformation, ethnic chauvinism and religious bigotry. We are also strategizing to consolidate on the community Based Conflict resolution Mechanism to sustain the harmonious peaceful-coexistence pervading our society.
Before concluding this remark, I need to reiterate the need to renew our collaborative efforts in order to curb insurgency and the spate of insecurity in Nigeria. We must all rise up to our responsibilities of protecting lives and property of the citizenry. We must continue to support and strengthen our security agencies towards meeting the challenges of maintaining peace and stability in the society. We must make the necessary sacrifice for our States and country to be peaceful, progressive and developed. Let me also reiterate the position of Nasarawa State that perpetrators, sponsors and abiders of insecurity and heinous crimes, be made to face the full wrath of the law, no manner their status in the society.
Let me also reiterate the position of Nasarawa State that perpetrators, sponsors and abiders of insecurity and heinous crimes, be made to face the full wrath of the law, no matter their status in the society.
I once again,, thank the organizers of this Colloquium for involving me to speak at this occasion, it is my hope that the forum will come out with useful conclusion that will add value in the fight against insecurity and insurgency in the country.
Thank you and God bless us all.
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