Insecurity: Defence Minister Badaru demands timelines from service chiefs
BY ANDREW OROLUA
Minister of Defence, Alhaji Muhammed Badaru Abubakar has asked the service chiefs to provide him with timelines within which various security challenges confronting the country would be resolved.
Abubakar requested for timelines when he assumed office yesterday at the Defence Ship House Abuja where he was received with a brief colourful ceremony.
“From now on, I will ask the service chiefs to give me a timeline and requirements on how we will begin to solve this problem of insecurity,” he said.
These timelines and targets, he stressed, will be passed on to President Bola Tinubu, adding “he will be monitoring us, and he doesn’t have the patience to work with lazy people. So, all our jobs are at stake, we must therefore deliver for the country.”
A definite time from the service chiefs on defeating terrorism, banditry, kidnapping for ransom, farmers/herders’ conflict, oil theft, secessionist agitation, cultism, and other emerging violent crimes in the country may become inevitable to the deteriorating insecurity in the country, he noted.
The Defence Minister pledged to ensure that the Armed Forces of Nigeria, in collaboration with other security agencies, work in sync to rid the country of security challenges, stressing that they owe this duty to the President and Nigerians.
According to the Minister: “The President is a goal-setter, an achiever, and a thinker. The President is a macro manager, and he would be on our necks to deliver on security, and I will do the same. As time goes on, I will engage you as individuals and groups. As we all know, without security, there would be no investment, and without investment, there would be no economic growth.
“Even though our food security is threatened, farmers cannot farm in their farms because of insecurity in the land. The President is ready to give us all the support to do this. From now on, I will ask the service chiefs to give me a timeline and requirements on how we will begin to solve this problem of insecurity.
“We resolve and promise that within a year or so, we would have remarkable change in the security sector.”
Also speaking, Minister of State for Defence, Mr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, said they will leave no stone unturned in their efforts to build a strong defence apparatus that can effectively counter emerging threats.
He noted that the armed forces must be modernized and strengthened through investments in advanced weaponry, intelligence gathering capabilities, surveillance systems, and cyber defence infrastructure.
“We will work closely with international partners to acquire cutting-edge technology and expertise that will enhance our defence capabilities. At the same time, we recognize that military alone cannot guarantee lasting security and stability.
”We must address the root causes of conflicts, promote social cohesion, and foster economic development. By investing in education, healthcare, job creation, and infrastructure development, we can create an environment where extremism finds no fertile ground to thrive. We will collaborate with relevant Ministries and Agencies to implement programs that address the socio-economic disparities that often fuel conflicts,” he said.
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The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa, who spoke too, expressed the willingness of the armed forces to support the Ministers succeed in their tour of duties.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana said that the President had carefully selected the Ministers to address the security challenges confronting the country.
