Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The federal government has been advised to prioritise tackling insecurity in the country to keep the nation safe from those bent on destroying it.
There has been a rising spate of insecurity in the country, with kidnappers and bandits having a field day, causing the prices of food to hit the rooftop as farmers hardly plant again because of fear of being attacked or killed on their farmlands.
On Friday, January 31, at a virtual event hosted by Legit.ng, a former Senator and human rights activist, Mr Shehu Sani, joined others to proffer some solutions to the issue.
At the programme held on X Space themed Corruption or Insecurity: Priority for the Federal Government in 2024, the former lawmaker pointed out that the government must first trace the problems to the source.
“The first way to analyse this is to review where we are coming from, where we are today, and where we are going. We come from a past that has delayed eight years of our lives.
“During the last administration, impunity was the order of the day. Officials were converting money from the treasury into their pockets, and Service Chiefs who had sworn to fight insecurity were getting promoted, with tenures extended despite the state of insecurity.
“While it is tempting to blame the new government, comparatively, what the army and police are doing today to combat insecurity, is far better than what the past administration did. This shows that the Government might be on the right path, by combating insecurity,” he said.
Mr Sani noted that despite all these, Nigerians do not do half measures as they expect a complete restoration of law, peace, and order in the country. He stated that while it might be too early to judge the government in the first six to seven months of governance, the citizens should not be complacent.
In his contribution, the Editor-in-Chief of Legit.ng, Mr Rahaman Abiola, said the government must urgently address insecurity so as not to create communal violence and plunge the nation into darkness.
He noted that, “The topic of discussion is a germane one and it is great that Legit.ng has brought this up, considering how we have all witnessed the effects of both conversation pillars. Both are critical priorities for the government because each presents its challenges and implications.”
“Corruption undermines the trust in government institutions and affects economic development, while also fostering impunity.
“On the other hand, insecurity poses a direct threat to the peace and safety of the nation, and we have seen firsthand how this undermines economic growth, especially for foreign interest and investment in the country,” he added.
The PR Manager for the platform, Ms Catherine Tomosori, while also speaking, emphasised the importance of discussing governance and setting priorities should the government lose focus on what is important.
“Dialogues like these are crucial for holding the government accountable and ensuring stability for the nation.
“At Legit.ng, we are committed to leading the way in news by raising awareness about issues that plague the people and the nation,” she said.
Business Post gathered that the event, which was moderated by the Copy Editor of Legit.ng, Mr James Ojo, was attended by the chief executive of Connected Development (CODE), Hamzat Lawal; a human rights lawyer, Mr Inibehe Effiong; the chairman of the Guild of Public Affairs Analysts of Nigeria for Enugu, Ambrose Igboke; and a Sahara Reporters’ journalist, Mr Sunday Elom, among others.
