A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Otunba Olusegun Agbalajobi, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently declare a state of emergency on security in the country.
This, he said has become a child of necessity following the rising waves of kidnappings, killings, banditry, insurgency and other manifestations of insecurity bedeviling the country.
Agbalajobi, in a statement titled, ‘Nigeria and its preponderance of insecurity’ issued in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, said declaring emergency on security would help to stem the rising waves of security challenges that are fast pushing Nigeria to precipice.
He stressed that the worsening security situation in the country requires desperate and decisive measure in the best interest of Nigerians, hence, the need to adopt a multi-level approach to nip in the bud the security challenges.
Agbalajobi noted that the current federal police structure has been overwhelmed by insurgency and banditry, saying decentralisation of the country’s security architecture remains the viable option to overcome the hydra-headed challenges.
The APC stalwart, however, called for the establishment of both state and local police system with clear cut structures and functions for effective and efficient policing of communities.
The fundamental responsibility of every government is to ensure protection of lives and property, but the manner in which the blood of innocent citizens are being shed daily is an indication that Nigeria is a failed stated.
“It’s quite unfortunate that Nigeria is now on the brinks of collapse. No place is safe in the country. Insurgency in the North East fast spreading like wildfire to other parts of the North. Also, there are kidnappings and banditry in the South west. The South-East and South South are not left alone with thugs and cultists on rampage.
“It is unacceptable the way our people are being killed on a regular basis. No nation should stand aloof and watch with fear the uncontrollable activities of terrorists, kidnappers, bandits, and armed-robbers in the land.
“The current federal security architecture seems to be overwhelmed to curtail the insecurity menace that has now become a recurring decimal. I believe creation of state and local police system as a viable alternative to the failed Nigeria’s federal security formation would help solve the hydra-headed insecurity”, he said.
He urged Buhari to take proactive steps to restructure and revamp the security architecture as well as provide modern weapons to combat the security menace headlong.