- Says all hands on deck to secure the country
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has expressed optimism that the current security challenges facing Nigeria will soon become a thing of the past.
He also stressed that the federal government has intensified efforts aimed at adequately securing the country with the recent supplementary budget sent to the National Assembly for approval for the procurement of military hardware for the use of the military and other security agencies.
Speaking while receiving in audience the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Oba Adeola Adeniyi Ajakaiye, at the State House, Abuja, the vice-president emphasised that all and sundry must support the nation’s security services to ensure that Nigeria is safe, saying: “I can assure you that soon, the issue of insecurity will be a thing of the past, and that we will all live in peace and prosperity in this country.”
According to him, the recent supplementary budget sent to the National Assembly, on enhancing the capacity of the military and other security agencies, is part of the concerted efforts of the federal government to beef up its response to the nation’s security challenges.
He said: “The president has recently constituted a committee that will look at the whole security infrastructure with a view to looking at the needs of the military, as well as the police and security agencies.
“The result of that is a bill before the National Assembly, a supplementary bill. The purpose of that bill is to present some of the needs of the military, as well as of security agencies in order to be able to beef up our response to the security challenges.”
Osinbajo also stressed the need for traditional rulers, local and state governments to collaborate with the federal government to tackle insecurity.
“Any country with this number of security challenges must respond as robustly as possible. But it is also important to bear in mind that it takes a combined effort of all of us, at the local government level, state and federal levels; all of the levels; we need to come together to tackle this issue of insecurity,” he explained.
According to the vice-president, even as the federal government is very concerned, and will continue to ramp up efforts towards improving security nationwide, community efforts is also vital in tackling the issue from the roots.
He emphasised that it is a foregone conclusion that at the level of community, there is need to take decisive action, as most of the security issues occur at the community level.
Osinbajo expressed happiness that the traditional ruler has a committee in place in his domain organised for the purpose of tackling insecurity “and that you’ve been able to contain the menace that we see in different parts of the country in your community”.
He added that the federal government will provide necessary support to the community in tackling its challenges, adding that the federal government is also working with the Ekiti State Government in dealing with insecurity, as well as other various issues.
In his remarks, the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Oba Ajakaiye, thanked the vice-president for granting them audience and listening to their demands, including support for the establishment of a Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences in the community.
Oba Ajakaiye said: “Again, as a community, we have come to appreciate you (vice-president) for your diligence, hard work, commitment and loyalty; and that, we from the South-west, are very proud of you. We want to assure you that we are very much in support of you. From our own end, we are doing a lot to ensure that the menace of insecurity will not remain in our domain.”
