Badaru, Matawalle: We’ll Contain Insecurity in One Year

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, yesterday, assured the Nigerian people that the security challenges facing the nation would be contained in the next one year.

He also demanded timelines and requirements from military service chiefs that would bring hostilities to an end in different parts of the country.

This came as Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, charged officials of the ministry to embrace innovations and propose new ideas that would enable them to adapt to the ever-changing landscape in order to ensure a safer and secure country.

Speaking on assumption of office at the Ministry of Defence (Ship House) in Abuja, Badaru, who took charge of the ministry with the  Minister of State of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, said the ministers and the service chiefs could not afford to fail the nation and President Bola Tinubu.

“We have no reason to fail him, so, I want to thank all that are here and assure them that we will do our best. We will do our best to make sure we rid the country of security challenges.

“We owe it a duty to the president and the nation. As politicians, we cannot afford not to succeed. We hardly fail and we are not ready to fail this time and we will not fail,” he said.

Promising to convene a monthly meeting of all security agencies in order to promote synergy to end insecurity, he said,

“I adopt all the measures mentioned by the minister of state but mine is to reecho our resolve and have the promise today with all of you that within a year or so we’ll have remarkable change in the security architecture of this country.

“I believe it is doable. I believe it is possible and I will add that we will cooperate with all the security agencies in the country, we will soon start a monthly meeting with the security agencies and their ministers to have complete coverage among ourselves on how to solve the security challenges in the country.”

In his remarks, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, promised to restore peace across the country.

“These two individuals are vastly experienced in the country, which is critical. They are again from the North-west, the region we all grew up to know was very peaceful. You have come here and you know what peace is and we have seen what insecurity is. We pray that our children will grow in a very peaceful environment.

“I want to assure you of our loyalty to the institution itself. This is our country and we have no other one. It is our responsibility that we ensure that there would be restored peace, tranquility, and security in Nigeria. We are happy you are going to make a lot of things happen. We assure you of our support and we would be transparent. That is how we have been working together since we took over.”

Meanwhile, Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, charged officials of the ministry to embrace innovations and propose new ideas that would enable them to adapt to the ever-changing landscape in order to ensure a safer and secure environment in the country.

At a meeting with his top management team in Abuja, the minister emphasised the importance of unity, collaboration, and cooperation to stem various challenges facing the nation in the areas of maintaining law and order, safer guarding the rights of citizens and upholding justice

“We must work hand in hand and draw upon our collective expertise and experience each one of us to bring on board to the ministry and through our collective efforts we can effect positive change in the police ecosystem.

“We could make Nigeria Police to be efficient, professional, and accountable to society and thereby solicit your unwavering cooperation and support in implementing the policies and programmes for the police ecosystem,” he said.

Minister of State, Hajia Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, pointed out that both ministers would work as a team to improve the welfare of the staff and committed to the renewed hope agenda of the president to ensure the successful implementation of improved economy and security in the country.