Ekiti State Governor, Doctor Kayode Fayemi, has advocated “a comprehensive national response” to win the battle against insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and all forms of security challenges afflicting the polity.
He also called for massive investment in public health, nutrition, education, promotion of partnerships for affordable housing, food security, potable water and creation of enabling environment to put opportunities for skills acquisition and gainful employment for the youth to reduce violent crimes in the Land.
Doctor Fayemi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum spoke as the guest lecturer at the 2022 Murtala Muhammed Foundation Memorial Lecture held at the Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua Centre in Abuja on Monday to mark the 46th anniversary of the assassination of former Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed.
Delivering a lecturer titled “Beyond Boko Haram: Addressing Insurgency, Banditry and Kidnapping across Nigeria,” Doctor Fayemi said concerted efforts must be put into the fight against security challenges which has extended its tentacles to all nooks and crannies of the country.
While sounding the battle cry against the challenges at hand, the Ekiti governor regretted that “the boundaries of contemporary national insecurity have been further enlarged by the emergence and expansion of an industry in kidnapping that has overwhelmed an important swathe of northwestern Nigeria and graduated into the status of a national pandemic.”
Extolling the virtues of the late General Muhammed, Doctor Fayemi noted that although the former Nigerian leader was in office for a very short time, he made a lasting impact and embodied the lesson that all public office holders must always be reminded of.
He said: “For my generation of Nigerians, the late General Muhammad was not only a charismatic leader whose decisive, no-nonsense, business unusual style captured our youthful imagination, he has also over the years remained an uncommon example of public service through the uncompromising commitment he displayed to the pursuit of the common good.
“As with most other Nigerians, the deep regret which we felt was that he did not rule long enough to personally complete the task of national rebirth which he and his colleagues had defined for themselves at the time he came to power. Still, he earned his place in our hearts and in the pantheon of our national heroes.
“Murtala Muhammed successfully re-ignited hope in a post-civil war Nigeria that we can as a people aspire to new and greater heights to occupy our rightful place in dignity as a leader in the comity of nations. Such was the impact he had in so short a period of time that memory of his time with us remains so fresh and evergreen. May his soul continue to Rest In Peace, Amen.”
Dissecting the issue of the day, Doctor Fayemi noted that Nigeria had grappled with various forms of security problems and criminalities including armed robbery, militancy, vandalism of oil pipelines and hostage-taking, ethnoreligious killings but had recently exacerbated with insurgency, kidnapping and banditry.
The Governor explained that the security challenges facing the country should not be seen as problems of particular geopolitical zones but as a national issue all Nigerians, the leaders and the led must join hands together to tackle to restore confidence in the polity.
Giving suggestions on how the problems can be successfully tackled, Doctor Fayemi said issues underpinning the nation’s security challenges must be addressed, emphasizing on forging of a new compact between the state and the society whose centrepiece must be an inclusive and expansive project of human security in the Land.
Governor Fayemi identified sustained job creation as a panacea to youth involvement in criminal activities, suggesting that government, private sector and non-governmental organizations must be involved in the task.
Amos Ogunrinde
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