Insecurity gulps over a billion within three years-Jonathan

Juliana Francis

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday revealed that the Federal Government has spent over one billion three hundred and thirty seven million approximately (N1, 37 billion) tackling insecurity in Nigeria within just three years.

This was even as the Director General of the State Security Service, Ita Ekpeyomg, claimed that the SS, Army and security outfits have succeeded in decimating the Boko Haram sect. 

Jonathan made this statement, while addressing guests at the passing out parade and commissioning of 385 members of the cadet Officers basic course twenty-seven (COBC 27), at the  State Services Academy, Lagos State.
The President, who was represented by the Minister of Education, Barrister Nyesom Wike, said that though security challenges had increased in the country, but that the Federal Government was doing it utmost to tackle these challenges. He added that to tackle insecurity in the Nigeria, Federal government, in 2011 provided N237 million, in 2012 N300 million and this year N800million.
According to him, it was also due to the federal government’s determination to tackle insecurity and terrorism in particular, that the government enacted the Anti-terrorism law.
His words: “In order to tackle terrorism, federal government enacted the Anti-terrorism law and came up with equipment to fight terrorism.”
Wike told the cadet officers that they were expected to be dexterous in handling modern technological equipments and have good people relation or else the money government had invested in the equipment and them, would go to waste. “ All the equipment bought to tackle terrorism will go to waste if you don’t how to handle the equipments. And people should be able to trust you with information. An informant should not be punished. Also remember that a man is not guilty until he is proven to be guilty. Carry your duty with all fairness and uphold the rule of law. The era of using brutality to elicit confessions should stop! Innocent people have died through that way.”
He also explained that it was due to challenges of insecurity that government was interested in proactive measures of combating insecurity. Wike reminded people that insecurity challenges abound in other countries, adding that in comparison with other countries, Nigerian society is very safe.

 The Director-General, State Services,  Mr. Ekpenyong  Ita, while applauding the cadet officers, said: “We are aware of the dynamics of global insecurity, and how it has manifested in the forms of terrorism and insurgency in our country.  And to cope with these ever changing threats, the Service has placed the highest premium on human capacity development and requisite technology acquisition.  Accordingly, we are highly indebted to the President who has done more than any other Government to assist the Service to acquire modern technology/equipment in order to enhance our capacity.  We can no longer use analogue methods, equipment and personnel to solve digital age problems.

“Consequently, in order to keep abreast with the ever changing security challenges, our operatives must be well equipped, their knowledge, competences and skills constantly updated and enhanced, In order to enable them to be a step ahead of the adversaries.  During the last three years, we have reinvented and re-engineered our strategies for human resource development for optimum performance and productivity.  This implies that training and re-training had to be regular, state-of-the-art equipment had to be acquired, the welfare and health of staff must be given priority; while proper housing and office accommodation are vigorously being implemented.|”

 Ita continued: “The modest achievements so far made by the Service in the fight against terrorism could be attributed to the Service huge investment in human capacity development.  Consequently, we have been in the forefront in the war against terrorism.  This is because of the Service’s vast knowledge on terrorist’s network,   foresightedness and robust operations based on trained manpower and latest technical resources.  The Service with other security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Army (NA) under the leadership of the Chief of Army Onyeabor IHEJIRIKA has been able to degrade the terrorist infrastructure in the country.  We can confidently say that we have decimated the terrorists’ top and middle level leadership, its foot soldiers thereby dislodging its centre of gravity.  There is no doubt that our strategies have invariably affected the cohesion of the  group as well as the chain of command, to the level that the group, for now does not possess the capacity to direct and launch simultaneous attacks on several cities/targets in Nigeria as had been the situation in the past two years.  We intend to build and consolidate on our successes in this war against the terrorists’ in order to create a conducive environment for democracy and development.”

 Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshimole, said  he was particular pleased with the emphasized on security training, especially in view of the security challenges in the country.

According to him, “terrorists have become more sophisticated. We need to check terrorists, so that people can live in peace. We can’t spend too much on training.”