Buhari seeks community, security agencies collaboration to tackle challenges

President Muhammadu Buhari has called for strong collaboration between the country’s security agencies and communities in order tackle challenges.

While blaming  internal and external factors for the myriad of security challenges confronting the country, the President assured that his administration was determined to find a lasting solution.

President Buhari stated this on Wednesday, when he hosted the Director General and members of the Senior Executive Course 40 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Plateau State at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The President, who received the report of the study undertaken by Course 40 participants said, “Government is convinced that finding sustainable solutions to these challenges will require the support and collaboration of security agencies and communities. As such, the selection of the theme for your study was therefore, timely. I am glad that both Staff and participants of Senior Executive Course 40 of NIPSS embraced the task with much zeal and have today presented the report of their study.”

He recalled that it was in order to deal with the problem completely that “In November 2017 I tasked the Management of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies Kuru, with the responsibility of strengthening the nation’s internal security framework through community policing by proposing models, policy options and strategies.

“The decision of government was borne out of our sincere desire to find sustainable solutions to the many security challenges inherited by this administration. The Challenges do not only threaten the security of lives and property, of our people but also the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country.”

He listed the challenges confronting the nation to include Boko Haram attacks, herders-farmers clashes, separatists’ agitations, and militancy among others.

Buhari, who last year challenged the institute to proposed models, through which the nation’s internal security framework can be strengthened, expressed happiness that the Course 40 participants, came up with a report on that.

The President said the report was coming at the right time, when government intends to change the national security strategy by placing much emphasis on the wellbeing of Nigerians.

He therefore directed relevant agencies of government to carefully study the report with a view to implementing its recommendations.

President Buhari pledged more funding for NIPSS as he directed the Ministry of Budget and National Planning to work towards providing necessary funding for the Institute.

Speaking earlier, the Acting Director General of the Institute, Jonathan Mela Juma, expressed the hope that government will implement the recommendations presented by the participants, in order to checkmate the internal security challenges Nigeria is facing.

“We are hopeful that the recommendations will be adopted by government as part of the strategies to checkmate the militating internal security challenges in the nation and to mobilise citizens to appreciate security as a collective responsibility,” he said.

Juma said the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies would continue to provide the needed policy input in Nigeria’s drive towards a better society.

Highpoint of the event was the submission of the report of the Senior Executive Course 40, to the President.