Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, on Thursday declared that only collaborative approach by all sectors of the Nigerian population could successfully tackle and overcome current security challenges facing the country.
Fayemi said this at the opening ceremony of a three-day Federal and States’ Security Administrators’ Meeting (FSSAM), held at the Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti.
The Governor said the cooperation of all security agencies, traditional rulers, community and religious leaders and all citizens was imperative to overcome insecurity and all forms of criminality.
He disclosed that he had been in constant touch with his counterparts in the neighbouring states of Ondo, Osun, Kogi and Kwara to secure boundary towns and villages which might be used by criminal elements to gain access to the state.
The Governor who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Bisi Egbeyemi, warned that the current security challenges in the country should not be politicised but must be frontally tackled in synergy with all stakeholders.
He noted that the appropriateness and timing of the meeting could not be overemphasised as it came at a time the country was facing various security challenges.
Fayemi stressed that security of lives and property was crucial to socio-economic development which explained why his administration had taken proactive measures to curtail emerging security challenges.
Some of the measures, according to him, include, donation of two units of Armoured Personnel Carrier vehicles to the State Police Command and monthly financial assistance to the security agencies in the state.
Others are regular meeting of the State Security Council and inclusion of the informal security outfits in the security architecture of the state.
He stated that the administration had enlisted the support of traditional rulers in the maintenance of peace to save lives and property in their domains as well as held security awareness campaign on the electronic media.
The rest are the establishment of the State Security Trust Fund to enable sustainable funding of crime prevention interventions, creation of an anti-crime outfit codenamed ‘Operation Keep Ekiti Safe,’ resuscitation of Peace Corps and resuscitation of the Security Tracking System.
“The current security challenges in the country should not be politicised as the proliferation and possession of unlawful firearms call for increased security measures.
“And with what we are seeing now, it has become imperative to seek the cooperation of all security agencies, community and traditional
leaders and other stakeholders for a safe and secure business climate.
“We are quite aware that there might be incursion of criminals from outside the state.
“Therefore, I have started contacting my counterparts in the neighbouring states with a view to synergising for more protection of lives and property along the boundary towns and villages.”
The Governor added that hosting of the meeting was a demonstration of his administration’s interest in the security of the people.
He expressed the belief that decisions reached would enrich the business of maintenance of law and order in the country.
Earlier, FSSAM Chairman, Dr Amina Shamaki, commended the Ekiti State government for hosting the meeting aimed at developing workable solutions to security problems confronting the country.
Shamaki who is also the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said the Federal Government was concerned about the security challenges in some parts of the country and working hard to tackle them.
According to her, the government was concerned about the incessant farmers-herders clashes saying part of the strategies to find solution is the engagement of all stakeholders.
Shamaki urged Nigerians not to be oblivious of the predictions of the Nigerian Meteorology Agency (NIMET) on the pattern of rainfall because of its implication on security.
News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the meeting which would end on Saturday had in attendance officials of the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Other participants are Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Prisons Service, Federal Road Safety Corps and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, among others.
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