To contain orgy of violence, arson and criminalities in the Southeast and Southsouth, the Federal Goverment says it has approved new security measures for the zones.
The government has also vowed to reverse the high level of insecurity in parts of the country in the last one month.
President Muhammadu Buhari gave the approval at a security meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Acting Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, said henceforth security measures to be deployed to tackle insecurity in the country would not be made public.
The briefing was attended by the National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, other security chiefs as well as the Presidential Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.
Baba said for President Buhari to have presided over the Security Council meeting three times in two weeks showed that the administration attached great importance to security issues.
According to him, the Council assessed the security situation across the country, particularly Southeast and South-South, resulting in break down of law and order.
“We have some measures that have been approved by the Council to check …We have some measures which we have outlined and have been approved by the Council and we will see how we can change the narrative within the quickest possible means to restore law and order and restore peace in that area.
“We solicit all law abiding citizens to work with us to identify and deal with the situation. That is that; I may not go into the details of how we will do that,” the IG-P said.
On his part, Monguno said President Buhari gave matching orders to the security chiefs to ideal with the emerging problems physically.
“The first two meetings were inconclusive, but today’s meeting is the final in the three meetings. Again, Mr. President’s concern at the growing trend of insecurity has been highlighted and the meeting, basically, was briefed by the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General Police.
“I briefed the meeting on strategic issues in relation to security, while the Chief of Defense Staff briefed on operational issues, and Inspector General of Police briefed on constabulary matters.
“On my part, I briefed Council on the enablers of crime and the need to find quick responses with a view to mitigating the growing threats to society.
“These enablers are discussed in detail and Mr. President has already given direction on how to deal with them, specifically issues of drug abuse as propellants for crime, how to make the criminal justice system much more effective, as well as looking at issues of unemployment, which of course, the federal executive council had given an approval.
“Through previous memos on how to get 100 million people out of poverty that was also discussed. Then again, the lack of an effective crime reporting system.
“Again, the President has given direction on how to make these things effective. Already, the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) has been given certain instructions on how to deal with this, but by and by Council has agreed that the level of insecurity in the country, especially in the last one month.
“It is something that has to be addressed with the immediacy that it requires and at the operational level, of course, the Chief of Defence Staff has been working with the service chiefs and the recommendations they have made to the Council are already being handled,”Monguno said.
Irabor on part said far reaching decisions have been made that will boost the operations of the security agencies.
Irabor also told journalists: “No doubt, far-reaching decisions were made. On our part, just as the National Security Adviser indicated, I briefed on various measures that the Armed Forces in partnership with other security agencies, the measures we have taken to stem the tide of insecurity across the country.
“The council was pleased with the actions and of course, the prayers that were made, which Council has also graciously undertaken to look into.
“These, of course, have to do with manpower development, training and equipment issues.”
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