Jonathan: Political Patronage of Thugs Fuels Insecurity

Ejiofor Alike

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has raised the alarm that the patronage of thugs by desperate politicians was responsible for the insecurity in the country.

The former President stated this in his keynote speech yesterday at the 2019 African Security Conference holding in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He also reiterated his call for the deployment of technology in the electoral process as a means of ending electoral violence and political patronage of thugs.

“Some desperate politicians and people in power are known to protect notorious outlaws often linked to violent crimes because of their strong-arm tactics that come handy during electioneering campaigns and elections…Where criminals are protected, they become role models. There are instances where people of shady character or those with questionable wealth are rewarded with either public offices or even traditional titles. This is not good for our system and the future of our country because it does not instill in our youths the right values. A society that does not consciously reject and punish criminality will open up itself for more security problems,” Jonathan explained.

Making a case for a functional educational system in Africa, the former president said: “I believe strongly that if we do not consciously promote education in a strategic manner to develop the capacities of our people, there is no way we can achieve real progress and strategic development as a nation and continent.

“The challenge of every government is to adapt its educational curricula to make it more responsive to societal needs, by developing the capacities of its human resources in tune with the requirements of a modern economy.”He called for the reform of the local government system in the country to make it more responsive to the needs of the people and more functional in combating insecurity in the country.