By Esther Akaa
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has called on the Federal Government to expand its security outfits and provide equipment that will enable them wipe out bandits, saying that bandits have lost their right to life under Nigeria’s constitution.
Mallam El-Rufai equally urged security agencies to work together and take the war to the terrorists so as to recover the un-governed forests that have been occupied by terrorists especially in the North-Eastern part of the country.
The governor gave the charge on Thursday while delivering his welcome address at the Federal Government Townhall Meeting on National Security held in Kaduna, Kaduna state.
According to him, taking the battle to the terrorists will not only cripple the outlaws, but will also reassure ordinary citizens, bolster the morale of the security agencies and provide an alternative focus for the energies that are being dissipated on fractious endeavours.
“The situation in which the security agencies mostly only react to cases of banditry and abduction is unacceptable. We are in a war with these terrorists who are challenging the sovereignty and monopoly of the instruments of coercion of the Nigerian state and its territory.
‘’There is no other way to approach the current insurgency situation today as far as governmental action is concerned.
‘’None of the military services nor other security agencies has been suitably expanded in numbers and equipment for over a decade since the insurgency in the North-East pushed things to a new low.
‘’This country does not have enough soldiers, uniformed police and secret police to project state power across its vast swathes, particularly the forests. The limited number of boots on the ground are not well equipped and are significantly lacking in the technology that can make their limited numbers matter a lot less,’’he said.
The governor lamented the uncoordinated and ineffective national response to security challenges of terrorists, saying that a more secure country would enable law-abiding citizens to engage in their legitimate pursuits, including farming and livestock production, without fear.
He however, expressed optimism that the town hall meeting would promote engagements and consensus necessary for effective collective action to securing lives and property of citizens.
