PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari says his administration is ready to use everything within its powers to end insecurity in the country and bring perpetrators of criminal activities to book.
Buhari stated this when he hosted the leadership and members of the National Assembly to dinner in the State House on Tuesday.
According to a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina, the president was quoted to have said that insecurity, manifesting as insurgencies, banditry, kidnapping and urban crime of all sorts, was the single most difficult challenge facing the country today.
He expressed concern that insecurity had inhibited his administration’s ability to build infrastructure, provide the much needed social services to the people and attract investments driving innovation, creating industries, and providing jobs and create wealth.
‘‘Some of the people who perpetuate these various manifestations of insecurity do so for profit, others, in the name of discredited ideologies.
‘‘Whatever their motivations may be, their actions are an existential threat to our country.
‘‘In the circumstances, we must do everything within our power, without consideration of distractions, to put an end to their activities and bring them to book.
‘‘We cannot allow ourselves to be distracted from this objective or waver in our commitment, and I am confident that together we will triumph in our present efforts.”
Insecurity in the country is characterised by banditry in the North-West, Boko-Haram terrorism in the North-East, farmer-herder clashes in both the North-Central and South-West respectively, activities of unknown gunmen in the South-East and kidnapping in the South-South.
Nigerians, lawmakers and state governors have called for an amendment of the 1999 Constitution to make provisions for state policing. The constitutional amendment process is ongoing at the National Assembly.
Last week, a bill seeking to accommodate the creation of state police has passed the second reading at the House of Representatives.
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