Amidst growing insecurity in the country, the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, on Thursday, called for the arming of local communities for defence purposes.
According the SSS boss, communities should be empowered to serve as first lines of defence in tackling insurgency. This he said should be before the intervention of the police, military and other security agencies.
Ajayi stated this at the maiden annual lecture of the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies (AANISS) held in Abuja on Thursday.
He said the country should start experimenting with how it can make the communities to be the first lines of defence. The SSS DG cited an incident in Azare in Bauchi State where the community “stood against Boko Haram terrorists and defeated them.”
Ajayi noted that the practical approach to fighting insecurity is by getting everyone involved. He added that “you do not expect the Nigerian Army, police, and SSS to protect every Nigerian. It is not going to work.”
The DG stated the military, police, and other security agencies have to deal with bigger security issues like organized crime. He noted that it is unimaginable that any security agency has the resources to deploy to every community.
“What we have to start experimenting with is, how we can make the community be a fist in the first line of defence. We have to allow some level of armament for the communities. And they can serve as the first line of defence,” Ajayi said.
The SSS DG urged stakeholders at the event to ensure that the discussions would not just end as mere talk shows. He stated that actionable steps should be taken to tackle the menace of insecurity in the country.
Ajayi, therefore, commended the Chief of Defence Staff, Musa for championing enhanced collaboration between the military and other security agencies in the country.
In his remarks, the CDS who delivered a paper titled “Mobilizing Stakeholders to Curb Insecurity in Nigeria: A Practical Approach,” thanked the organizers of the event. He, however, pointed out that tackling Nigeria’s insecurity demands holistic approach, considering its multifaceted challenges.
The CDS, therefore, called for collaboration and proactiveness in tackling the “complex and asymmetric” threats.
He said, “From terrorism and cybercrime to transnational organized crime and climate-induced conflicts, the challenges we face are multifaceted and demanded a holistic approach.”
Musa, therefore, urged Nigerian security agencies to adapt to changing dynamics, leverage on technology, and intelligence,. He charged them on partnerships to stay ahead of adversaries.
“I am, therefore, optimistic that this forum will delve into actionable strategies for mobilization and collaboration. Stressing the significance for practical collective action and shared responsibility,” he added.
In his opening remarks, the President of the AANISS, Mike Ejiofor, bemoaned the security situation in the country. He noted that the gruesome assassination of former military Head of State, Murtala Muhammed, 49 years ago, changed the trajectory of the country’s security and intelligence operations.
According to him, the killing of the Nigerian leader in a failed coup on February 13, 1976 exposed the lapses in the Nigerian security and intelligence system.
Ejiofor added that the spontaneous reaction to the event to address observed lapses in the internal security of Nigeria was the immediate reassignment of then military governor of Plateau State, Abdullahi Mohammed. He noted that the Governor was mandated to set up and head the National Security Organization (NSO) which became the precursor for the State Security Service, SSS, Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).
Ejiofor noted that “The trajectory of the establishment, development and growth of our nation’s homeland security can, therefore, not be complete without proper reference to the event of 13th February 1976.”
The former DSS Director pointed out that AANISS was created to leverage the expertise, experience, and professionalism of its diverse membership drawn from the military, security, intelligence, regulatory and other strategic agencies and stakeholders in curbing insecurity in the country.
According to him, the presence of high-profile security chiefs at the event underscores their concerns about the menace of insecurity in Nigeria.
Those present at the event included serving and retired security chiefs. Among them were the National Security Adviser,NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Christopher Musa.
source: Premium Times
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